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'Heroine' Officer Stopped Army Base Gunman

The female civilian officer who brought down a gunman as he rampaged through America's biggest army base killing 13 people has been hailed a heroine.

Military psychiatrist Major Nidal Malik Hasan also wounded 30 others when he opened fire at Fort Hood, Texas, on Thursday.

Sergeant Kim Munley was the first armed officer on the scene as Hasan rampaged through the base, picking off his targets who were all unarmed.

Sgt Munley managed to shoot Hasan four times but was injured herself by a bullet that witnesses said hit both of her legs.

She is in a stable condition in a local community hospital, said a US military spokesman.

Colonel John Rossi praised the officer at a press conference earlier, saying: "Her efforts were superb."

He also confirmed that Hasan was about to be sent to Afghanistan - something his family described as his "worst nightmare".

Witnesses said Hasan had shouted "Allah akbar" - God is great - as he opened fire.

Meanwhile, CCTV footage has emerged showing Hasan, wearing traditional Arab dress, entering a 7-Eleven shop in Fort Hood about seven hours before the mass shooting.

The store owner told CNN he knew the man as "Major Nidal" and that he came in most mornings for coffee and hash browns.

"He looked normal, came in, had his hash browns and coffee as you see in the surveillance video," he said.

Just hours later, the highly qualified medic allegedly shot dozens of soldiers and a number of civilians at the vast Fort Hood compound in Texas.

Armed with two guns, including a semi-automatic weapon, Hasan started firing at victims at random. Twelve soldiers and one civilian died.

But a military spokesman said Hasan was in a stable condition in hospital on a ventilator.

A disturbing portrait has emerged of the major, who had complained of being harassed.

It has been revealed that at least six months ago, he came to the attention of law enforcement officials because of a series of internet postings.

Included in the postings were comparisons he made between suicide bombers and soldiers who throw themselves on a grenade to save the lives of their comrades.

Hasan, a US-born Muslim, had received his orders to deploy to Afghanistan, said Deputy Commander General Colonel John Rossi in a press conference.

Nader Hasan, a cousin of the gunman, described his relative as "a good American".

He told Fox News that the family was "shocked", adding: "We just found out on the news that he was being deployed. He never even told us.

"We've known for the last four or five years that was probably his worst nightmare.

"He deals with stories, he would tell us how he would hear things, horrific things."

Army officials have refused to speculate on a motive as they launched an investigation.

The shootings began on Thursday at around 1.30pm local time (7.30pm GMT) at Fort Hood's readiness centre.

The centre is where soldiers undergo medical checks before being sent off to Iraq and Afghanistan.

In the immediate aftermath of the incident, the Fort Hood compound was placed under lockdown, with all vehicles barred from entering or leaving the complex.

It was only declared safe some five hours later.

Mr Obama met with aides in the White House's Situation Room after being informed of the incident.

The US president said his thoughts and prayers were with the wounded and the families of the fallen.

He added: "It is 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."

Fort Hood is a sprawling 340 square-mile military installation situated 50 miles south of Waco.

It houses some 4,929 active duty officers and 45,414 enlisted members of the army.

At a press conference at Fort Hood, Lt Gen Bob Cone described how army members ripped up their uniforms to provide tourniquets and bandages.

"As horrible as this was, I think it could have been much worse, Lt Gen Cone said.

The military spokesman offered little explanation as to why authorities initially pronounced the gunman dead.

But he said there had been confusion at the hospital.

"His death is not imminent," Lt Gen Cone said of the suspect's condition.

He added that although terrorism as a motive could not be ruled out, all the evidence suggested this was not the case.