Upper Cumberland residents join the nation in shock tonight, taking in the news of the Fort Hood tragedy.

A shooting incident has reportedly claimed the lives of 13 and left 30 others wounded today. 

At a news conference outside Fort Hood the base commander, Lt. Gen. Robert Cone just revealed that earlier reports that the suspected gunman, Major Nidal Hasan, had been killed were incorrect. Major Hasan was wounded but remains alive, Lt. Gen. Cone said, adding that he is in custody and “his death is not imminent.” He added that 13 people had been killed by whom the military authorities now describe as a single gunman.

Lt. Gen. Cone added that soldiers are not armed on the base: “As a matter of practice, we do not carry weapons — this is our home.”

Reports say the gunman has been identified as an army mental health professional who, reportedly has a cousin who said Hasan did not want to be deployed to Iraq.

Officials, speaking on condition of anonymity as they are not yet authorized to discuss the case, say that the suspected shooter appears to be Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan.

Fox news coverage included video.

Officials are trying to confirm that Hasan was the author of internet blog postings that discussed suicide bombings and other threats which had garnered the attention of federal law enforcement officials. 

An official investigation was reportedly not opened, but one of the web postings that authorities reportedly reviewed is a blog that equates suicide bombers with a soldier throwing himself on a grenade to save the lives of his comrades.

President Barack Obama made a statement on the Fort Hood shooting. The transcript:

"My immediate thoughts and prayers are with the wounded and with the families of the fallen and with those who live and serve at Fort Hood. These are men and women who have made the selfless and courageous decision to risk and at times give their lives to protect the rest of us on a daily basis.

It’s difficult enough when we lose these brave Americans in battles overseas. It is horrifying that they should come under fire at an army base on American soil.

I’ve spoken to secretary Gates, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, and I will continue to receive a constant stream of updates as new information comes in. We are working with the Pentagon, the FBI, the department of homeland security all to ensure that Fort Hood is secure and we will continue to support the community with the full resources of the federal government. In the meantime, I would ask all Americans to keep the men and women of Fort Hood in your thoughts and prayers. We will make sure that we get answers to every single question about this horrible incident and I want all of you to know that as commander in chief, there’s no greater honour but also no greater responsibility for me than to make sure that the extraordinary men and women in uniform are properly cared for and that their safety and security when they’re at home is provided for.”

“We’ve had a terrible tragedy here at Fort Hood today. The situation is ongoing although I think we have positive news that we’re very close to a resolution. At approximately 13:30 hours today, a shooter entered what we call a soldier readiness facility where soldiers who are preparing to deploy go for last minute medical checkups and dental treatment, etc. A shooter opened fire and due to the quick response of the police forces was killed.

At this time the numbers that we’re looking at are 12 dead and 31 wounded and they are dispersed among the local hospitals here in the central Texas area. The extent of injuries varies significantly and again, we’re getting great cooperation from the central Texas medical facillities. The shooter was killed. He was a soldier. We since then have apprehended two additional soldiers that are suspects. I would go into the point that there were eyewitness accounts that there may have been more than one shooter. They tracked the suspected individuals to an adjacent facility and they were apprehended. They are soldiers, but again they are suspects at this time and we’re looking into that."
 
General Bob Cone, the commanding officer at Ft. Hood called the shooting a "terrible tragedy. It's stunning."

The victims were all shot at the soldier readiness facility, a series of buildings used to ready soldiers for deployment.

Many soldiers, among them White, Putnam and Overton county residents, have been at the facility in recent days preparing for deployment next year. 

Army spokesman Lt. Col. Nathan Banks says the first shooting began at about 1:30 p.m. at a personnel and medical processing office. The facility, called a Soldier Rating and Processing center, handles administrative details for soldiers.
 
Fort Hood is the Army's largest U.S. post, with about 40,000 troops. It is home to the Army's 1st Cavalry Division and elements of the 4th Infantry Division, as well as the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment and the 13th Corps Support Command. It is located near Killeen, Texas.

In June, Fort Hood's commander, Lt. Gen. Rick Lynch, told CNN that he was trying to ease the kind of stresses soldiers face. He has pushed for soldiers working a day schedule to return home for dinner by 6 p.m., and required his personal authorization for anyone working weekends. At the time, two soldiers stationed there had committed suicide in 2009 -- a rate well below those of other posts.