The gunman that shot and killed three members of the military at Fort Hood and injured 16 others has been identified as Spc. Ivan Lopez. Officials say the 34-year-old Iraq veteran was being treated for anxiety and depression and undergoing an evaluation for post-traumatic stress disorder.
Fort Hood officials say that Lopez, who died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, served four months in Iraq in 2011. Referring to the 2009 Nidal Hasan shooting, Lt. Gen. Mark Milley said the community will move past this tragedy.
“Events in the past at Fort Hood have taught us many things: we know the community is strong, we know the community is resilient, and we know the soldiers and civilians and families of this fort, who fought so bravely in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan over the last 13 years, are strong and we will get through this,” Milley said.
Milley said Lopez walked into a medical facility and opened fire on a group of people, then got into a vehicle, drove to his unit headquarters, a transportation brigade, and opened fire there, resulting in a complete lockdown and sending the community into a state of fear.
“He was not diagnosed, as of today, with PTSD," Milley said. "He was undergoing a diagnosis progress to determine if he had PTSD; that is a lengthy process, to be confirmed with PTSD.”
Milley said Lopez was married and had a family. He said they have not identified a motive but the incident was not related to terrorism.
