Backgrounder: Major shootings in U.S. this year

BEIJING, Nov.6 (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 following is a brief account of some major shooting incidents that have happened in the United States since the start of 2009:

Jan. 24 -- Two people were killed and seven others wounded in a gun shooting spree by unidentified assailants in a house in Wichita, Kansas.

On the same day, two teenagers died and seven others were injured when a gunman opened fire at a group of students outside a nightspot in Portland, Oregon.

Feb. 24 -- At least seven people were injured in a gun shooting incident at the New Orleans' Mardi Gras festival.

March 10 -- A gunman killed 10 people and himself in an hour-long rampage in Alabama that left his mother, grandmother and other relatives dead.

March 15 -- In a vicious shooting case that happened in Miami, Florida, a gunman shot four people to death and committed suicide.

March 29 -- A gunman stormed a nursing home in Carthage, North Carolina, fatally shooting eight people and injuring three others, including a police officer.

April 3 -- A lone gunman at an immigrant services center in downtown Binghamton shot and killed 14 people, including 4 Chinese nationals.

April 7 -- A 40-year-old man shot his wife, daughter, sister and nephew in suspected family feud in the northwest Alabama, the United States and committed suicide afterwards.

April 10 -- A man killed a young woman in a classroom building on the campus of Henry Ford Community College and then killed himself.

June 1 -- A man in a black SUV drove by a military recruiting station in Little Rock, Arkansas, shooting dead a U.S. soldier and injuring another. The man was later arrested by police.

June 10 -- A gunman shot a security guard in the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum while another guard returned fire and shot the suspect.

June 22 -- Six people were wounded on Wednesday night by gunfire on the Texas Southern University campus during a community rally when a car drove by and shots were fired into the crowd from the vehicle.

Aug. 4 -- A shooting at a gym outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, killed five people and wounded as many as 15. The shooter was among the fatalities.