Iraq war veteran Ivan Lopez, the gunman who opened fire yesterday at an army base in Fort Hood, Texas has been identified as having 'mental issues,' authorities said. As many as 4 victims were killed, according to reports on Thursday. The shooting comes just a few years after the base's first fatal mass shooting incident in 2009.
Photos of Ivan Lopez can be seen below:
Lt. Gen. Mark Milley, who is commanding general at the post told the press on Wednesday that authorities are investigating whether an argument was what started the shooting spree. "Obviously, we are digging deep into his background, any criminal or psychiatric history, his experiences in combat. All of the things you would expect us to do are being done right now."
The lieutenant went on to explain that the suspect underwent psychiatric evaluation before the shooting incident took place. "He was undergoing behavioral health, psychiatric treatment for depression and anxiety and a variety of other psychological and psychiatric issues," Miley shared. "He was not diagnosed, as of today, with PTSD, he was undergoing a diagnosis process to determine if he had PTSD. That is a lengthy process."
President Obama spoke to nation about the Fort Hood shooting yesterday, saying, "We are heartbroken...Any shooting is troubling. Obviously this reopens the pain of what happened at Fort Hood five years ago. We know these families. We know their incredible service to our country and the sacrifices that they make. Obviously our thoughts and prayers are with the entire community. And we are going to do everything we can to make sure that the community at Fort Hood has what it needs to deal with the current situation, but also any potential aftermath."
As authorities work on better understandinfg the suspect, what is known is that the 34-year-old alleged gunman was married with a child and recently moved to the area. Lopez was assigned to the 13th Sustainment Command, which is based at Fort Hood in Killeen. He spent four months serving in Iraq in 2011.
