WASHINGTON, April 3, 2014 ? President Barack Obama last night commended the military personnel, first responders and medical staff who responded swiftly and heroically to yesterday?s shootings, some fatal, at Fort Hood, Texas, White House officials said in a statement.
The statement said that while flying aboard Air Force One, the president convened a conference call that included Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno, FBI Deputy Director Mark Giuliano, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Lisa Monaco, National Security Advisor Susan Rice, and Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff Rob Nabors.
The president directed his team to use every resource available to fully investigate the shooting, officials said. ?The Fort Hood community is strong and resilient,? the White House statement added, ?and the president emphasized the importance of doing everything we can to ensure the community has every resource needed to recover, heal, and come back stronger than before.?
The Defense Department has the lead on the investigation, with support from federal partners including the FBI, as well as state and local law enforcement personnel.
?The president will continue to receive updates as new information becomes available and has directed that his team do everything it can to assist the families of those lost and wounded today,? the statement said. ?The president and first lady?s thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends of the killed and wounded individuals.?
Fort Hood officials said a soldier killed three fellow soldiers and wounded 16 others yesterday before taking his own life when confronted by a military police officer.