Fort Hood first responders speak out

The flags at Fort Hood wave at half staff Friday, and a somber silence spilled over the Army post.

“When soldiers deploy you expect to see that sort of thing, but you don't expect to see it on a daily basis and especially at Fort Hood,” said Captain Reis Ritz.

Less than 24 hours before -- chaos. The local paper headline spells it out: Massacre on Post.

Army officials say Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan, 39, walked into a medical screening room at the post at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.  He was in uniform when he pulled out two handguns and opened fire in the small but crowded room.

An estimated 500 people -- mostly soldiers getting ready to deploy -- were inside. All were unarmed. They had no way of fighting back.

The shots didn't end until Army Police Officer Kimberly Munley arrived on the scene and fired her own gun. The bullets hit Hasan four times.

By then more than 40 people had been shot, including Munley. Other officers rushed inside.

“There was dead. There was wounded and everything like that. you just kind of try to control the situation as much as possible. Try to calm whoever you need to calm. But there really was no calming,” said Army Officer Andrew Hagerman.

Some soldiers inside the room ran out; holding onto one another looking for help.

“They were carrying each other. The initial ones didn't wait for the ambulance I guess,” said Captain Ritz.

It wasn't until hours later that the post realized the gunman is a fellow soldier. Major Hasan is also an Army psychiatrist.

“I don't know what to think about what's going on. I don't know who to trust anymore,” said Sgt. Howard Appleby. 

“That is always a hard pill to swallow, but sometimes we have people have things going on that we don't know about or they don't show us,” said Col. Kimberly Kesling.

Army officials don't know why Hasan opened fire. Investigators from the FBI, the military and even the Texas Rangers are looking for those answers.

Officials say about 90 percent of the victims' families have been notified. No names have been released.

There were extra counselors on the post Friday.

Hasan remains in the hospital in stable condition. Military and local police are guarding his room. The other victims are all said to be in stable condition as well.