A Search for Answers Following Fort Hood Attack

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• JUDY WOODRUFF:

  Twelve people were shot dead and 31 were wounded today at the U.S. Army base at Fort Hood, Texas, the largest military installation in the world.

  The gunman was killed, and two other suspects were captured. The army said all were U.S. soldiers. Various reports identified the gunman as Army Major Malik Nadal Hasan.

  Jeffrey Brown has our lead story report.

• JEFFREY BROWN:

  The shooting began about 1:30 p.m. Central time at a personnel and medical processing center at Fort Hood, home to 65,000 troops, halfway between Austin and Waco. At the time, a graduation ceremony for soldiers finishing college courses was taking place in an auditorium at the same center.

  Lieutenant General Bob Cone is the commanding general at Fort Hood.

• LIEUTENANT GENERAL BOB CONE:

  It's a terrible tragedy. It's stunning. And, as I say, as I have gone around to hospital here, as I have been at the scene, soldiers and family members and many of the great civilians that work here are absolutely devastated.

• JEFFREY BROWN:

  In Washington, President Obama spoke a short time later.

• U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA:

  What we do know is that a number of American soldiers have been killed, and even more have been wounded in a horrific outburst of violence.

  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.

• JEFFREY BROWN:

  Thousands of troops from Fort Hood have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, and emotions among family members ran high today.

• WOMAN:

  I was first in tears and panicking when I was in the car. And now that I'm here — and, of course, I can actually see the school from here, so that makes me feel a little bit better. But I'm not leaving until they tell me I can get him.

  So, I — it's just one of these — my husband — that's my husband texting me right now from Iraq. So, the guys over there just found out what's going on. It's just — we have a lot to deal with. And this is just one more thing.

• JEFFREY BROWN:

  We're joined now by Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison from Texas. She's a member of the Armed Services Committee.

  Senator Hutchison, reports so far are that the victims were military personnel, except perhaps one local policeman. Can you tell us more?