Fort Hood gunman had argument with other soldiers

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By WILL WEISSERT and DANICA COTO

FORT HOOD, Texas (AP) - The Fort Hood soldier who gunned down three other military men before killing himself had an argument with colleagues in his unit before opening fire, and investigators believe his mental condition was not the "direct precipitating factor" in the shooting, authorities said Friday.

The base's commander, Lt. Gen. Mark Milley, offered those details a day after saying that Spc. Ivan Lopez's mental condition appeared to be an underlying factor in the attack.

On Friday, Milley said that an "escalating argument" precipitated the assault. He declined to discuss the cause of the argument but said investigators believe Lopez made no effort to target specific soldiers - even though at least one of the soldiers shot was involved in the dispute.

Milley would not say whether those involved were among the dead or wounded, or how many shooting victims had been a part of the argument.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20140404/DACVJ6801.html

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This undated image provided by the Texas Department of Public Safety shows Army Spc. Ivan Lopez. Authorities said Lopez killed three people and wounded 16 others in a shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, on Wednesday, April 2, 2014, before killing himself. Investigators believe his unstable mental health contributed to the rampage. (AP Photo/Texas Department of Public Safety)

[olddad56]

1. And what contributed to his unstable mental health? ...

How about PTSD? I do not believe for one second that his mental condition was not a 'direct precipitating factor". People with PTSD have been known to 'snap'. The government just doesn't want to own up to the toll that war takes on a person.

[wtmusic]

2. PTSD + Ambien addiction

Ambien is nasty, nasty, nasty, nasty shit.

[dionysus]

3. and it doesn't even work that well (for me). it doesn't make me fall asleep, it makes me trip!

(in that regard, it's kinda fun)

[amandabeech]

4. Ambien is only supposed to be for a short time period.

For example, to help close relatives immediately after the death of a loved one.

With much more than a couple of weeks, and it loses its effectiveness for aiding sleep and the nastiness comes out.

[Steviehh]

5. Is this truly a Catch-22 event?

Is this an event where a soldier couldn't go back to the front because he was crazy?

[Aristus]

6. That guy is as white as Wonder Bread.

If they're white, it's mental illness.
If they're brown, it's terrorism.