12 killed, 31 wounded in shooting at U.S. army base

HOUSTON, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- Twelve people were killed and up to 31 injured in two shootings Thursday at Fort Hood Army Base in Killeen, Texas, the U.S. Army said The 12 dead include one suspect, a soldier.

Two other soldiers were taken into custody, according to Gary Tallman, a spokesman at the Pentagon.

An entrance to Fort Hood Army Base in Fort Hood, Texas, near Killeen remains in lock-down following a mass shooting on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009.(AP Photo/Jack Plunkett)

Earlier reports said seven people were dead and at least 12 injured when gunmen opened fire at about 1:30 p.m. in an area near a theater and a sports dome, also known as the soldier readiness area.

It was not immediately known if the victims are soldiers or civilians.

The shooting prompted the base and nearby schools to order a lockdown.

A message on the Fort Hood Web site said, "Effective immediately, Fort Hood is closed." "This is not a drill. It is an emergency situation," it said.

U.S. President Barack Obama has been informed of the shooting, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters. "I told him what we knew," Gibbs said, adding that he was waiting for an update himself.

FBI agents are headed to Fort Hood to assist the Army Criminal Investigation Division, which is the lead agency, said FBI spokesman Jason Pack.

Fort Hood is the U.S. Army's largest U.S. post, with about 40,000 troops.

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