major anynidal hasan killed 13 people that day at ft. hood injured 32 others with a high-powered handgun he modified, he added laser sights to that hand gun. he was an american citizen, a practicing muslim. he had expressed anti-american and anti-american military views during his time serving in the army and working as a psychiatrist at walter reed. hasan served as his own attorney during his court-martial, which is always a bad idea. he was sentenced to death. he s now one of six people on the u.s. military s death row. so that was the ft. hood shooting. that was the worst mass shooting on a u.s. military installation in american history. the following year october 2010, there were a rash of shootings. mysterious middle of the night drive-by shootings at a bunch of different military installations in and around northern virginia. from the washington post at the time the incidents began the night of october 16th or early
suddenly diving into politics, concerned about plans to allow guns on college campuses. he recent wrote a satirical letter to idaho lawmakers plushed in the new york times and headlined by a shocking question when may i shoot a student? reporter: when may i shoot a student? right. reporter: that s provocative. it s serious as well. reporter: mass shootings like virginia tech, newtown and columbine come to mind when discussing guns in school. but the letter focuses on how teachers might feel in a classroom where guns are legal. i always assumed when they reached into their backpacks, they were going for a pencil. but now i would like legal instruction in the rules of classroom engagement. reporter: he asks, if i m working out a long equation on the board and several students try to correct me using their laser sights, am i allowed to fire a warning shot? do you have any concerns about
there are a limited number of seats for reporters in the courtroom. the wall street journal s nathan koppel was in the reporting pool. he found himself at one point on the wrong side of the war of islam. reporter: hasan came armed with a technologically advanced pistol with two laser sights. the pockets in his army camouflage cargo pants were stuffed with 16 high capacity magazines all wrapped in paper towels say prosecutors to muffle the sound. hasan allegedly targeted soldiers inside the building, avoiding civilians and looking for victims when the police officer took hasan down. he was hunting soldiers. the only real questions for this jury are whether this was premeditated murder and if hasan deserves the death penalty. in his opening statement he gave a sense he may not fight much of the government s case. the evidence will only show one side. it will show i was on the wrong
we also learned troubling information about the shooting spree itself, how the 42-year-old army psychiatrist reportedly had two weapons concealed under his military uniform, 16 magazines holding 4 20 rounds and two laser sights for more accurate firing. then when major nidal hasan was given his big chance for his opening statement, well, he spoke for just a few minutes, probably about two minutes or so, and he muttered something along the lines of, quote: the dead bodies will show that war is an ugly thing. i m continuing to quote here, the evidence will clearly show that i m the shooter. as you know, there has also been great controversy with the department of defense classifying the shooting incident here at fort hood as workplace violence, meaning the victims and their family members are not entitled to the same
2009 and 62,000 missing from inventories of gun dealers since 2008. so it makes one wonder whether the second amendment and the role guns play in the united states will arise as a topic at tonight s debate. indeed, one candidate has been plainly outspoken on the topic. i m actually for gun control. use both hands. while governor rick perry s comment received some laughs, he s not joking. in fact, it seems as if guns are a subject mr. perry holds quite close. need more proof? look no further than his own book in which he writes, quote, texans, on the other hand, elect folks like me, you know the type. the kind of guy who goes jogging in the morning packing a ruger .380 with laser sights, loaded with hollow point bullets and shoots a coyote that is threatening his daughter s dog. and while recent events are