By William Tucker
Chief Correspondent for In Homeland Security
Yesterday evening a soldier stationed at Ft. Hood, Texas shot several individuals eventually killing three and wounding 16 others. He shot himself once confronted by a Military Police officer. As can be expected the communities of Ft. Hood and the wider U.S. Army have been greatly affected by this tragedy given that this is the second mass shooting to take place at the Texas installation. What’s more unnerving is that this shooting occurred near the same buildings Army Major Nidal Hasan attacked in 2009. Other than the casualty reports we do know that the shooter was identified by authorities as Army Specialist Ivan Lopez who had served in Iraq. Furthermore, the Army stated that Lopez had behavioral and mental health issues and was undergoing further mental health evaluations. Included in the batteries of tests that Lopez was undergoing was testing for PTSD, but again, it is still early in this investigation and there is no evidence that these mental health issues played a role in the shooting.
It’s important to stress that the motivation for the shooting hasn’t yet been identified, nor have the security issues been adequately addressed because, as previously mentioned, the investigation is still ongoing. Though this is the case it hasn’t prevented uninformed opinion from proliferating in the media. The proper course for analysis, and eventual implementation of security countermeasures, is to gather verifiable information and put it in context. It is likewise important to not condemn all those suffering from mental health issues, nor is it proper to view all veterans suffering from PTSD as a threat to society. Mental health is an important issue to tackle on its own merits and we shouldn’t have to rely on tragedies such as this to advocate for improved diagnoses and treatment especially since we don’t yet know what role, if any, Lopez’s mental struggles played in this tragedy. Remember, the victims of this shooting have families who deserve the time to grieve and endless speculation or ill advised suggestions to handle future situations are certainly not warranted at this time. Active shooters, mental health issues, and security are vital issues that must be approached with reason and level headedness. Anything less is simply a disservice.
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