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November 7, 2009

Local soldier stationed at Fort Hood safe after Thursday shooting

By Lauren LaFleur

assistanteditor@jacksonville progress.com



Thursday’s shooting rampage at Fort Hood that left 13 dead and 30 more injured has many wondering how the shooter, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, slipped through the cracks at what should be one of the most secure places in the U.S. — and none is more confused about it than Jacksonville’s Charlie Mae Esco, whose grandson, Terrence Horn, is stationed there.

“I don’t want to point fingers,” Esco said, “and I’ve heard a lot of people with their opinions of what the Army should have done. We should be grateful for what they do for us, but I had mixed emotions when I heard (about the shooting). It was like, ‘What is the use?’

“I have to wonder how he (Hasan) got to where he was.”

The Associated Press reported Friday that Hasan, a psychiatrist specializing in disaster and preventive psychiatry during his medical fellowship at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., came to the attention of law enforcement officials at least six months ago because of Internet postings about suicide bombings and other threats, including posts that equated suicide bombers to soldiers who throw themselves on a grenade to save the lives of their comrades.

Authorities had not confirmed Hasan is the author of the posting, and a formal investigation had not been opened before the shooting, said law enforcement officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to discuss the case.

Hasan reportedly entered a center where some 300 unarmed soldiers were lined up for vaccines and eye tests and opened fire Thursday.

Esco said she had not heard about the rampage that day until her husband called her while on her way back home from the hospital — Horn’s mother, Daphne, had day surgery earlier that day.

“He said, ‘Have you heard?’ and told me what happened,” Esco said. “I panicked. I could not think.” Fortunately her brother-in-law lives in the area of Fort Hood and had been in touch with Horn already.

“He said he (the shooter) was no where near them (where Horn was),” Esco said.

Horn called his mother later that day to check on how she was doing post-surgery and let her know he was safe, Esco said.

“He’s going to see her Friday,” she said.

Esco said Horn, who entered the U.S. Army upon his graduation from Jacksonville High School six years ago, has already served two tours in the current wars in the Middle East.



The Associated Press also contributed to this report.

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