Suspect in U.S. Army base shooting faces 13 charges

HOUSTON, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Army psychiatrist Nadil Malik Hasan has been charged by the Army with 13 counts of premeditated murder in last week's deadly shooting rampage at Fort Hood Army base, Texas, an Army spokesman said Thursday.

Nidal Malik Hasan, the suspect in last week's mass shooting incident at Fort Hood army base, Tex.(Xinhua/Reuters File Photo)

The 13 charges against Hasan are "initial charges", Chris Grey, a spokesman for the Army criminal investigation division, said at a brief press conference. "Additional charges may be preferred in the future, subject to the ongoing criminal investigation," he said.

"It is important to remember that the peripheral of charges is the first step in the court-martial process," said Grey, adding that "a charge is merely an accusation. The accused is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty."

Hasan, who is recovering from gunshot wounds in an Army Hospital in San Antonio, Texas, is currently under pretrial restriction, according to Grey. All autopsies had been completed at Dover AFB, Del, he said.