Shooting victims sent to four hospitals Posted On: Friday, Nov. 6 2009 05:07 AM By Jackie Stone
Killeen Daily Herald

As the tragic events unfolded on Fort Hood early Thursday afternoon, Central Texas hospitals rose to the challenge of treating the 31 people who were reported wounded when shots rang out on the post.

Reports immediately began of the injured with gunshot wounds being airlifted to Darnall Army Medical Center, Scott & White Hospital in Temple, Metroplex Adventist Hospital in Killeen and Seton Medical Center Williamson in Round Rock.

At the same time, the community's outpouring of response to requests for blood donations to help victims overloaded some blood banks to the point where some of the facilities asked the public to hold off for the rest of the evening.

Roughly two hours after shots rang out, Scott & White Hospital spokeswoman Katherine Voss confirmed that the hospital had received several adult gunshot victims from the post.

Scott & White later reported on its Web site that it took in 10 patients wounded in the shooting.

The hospital closed all facilities to the public and visitors Thursday evening in order to focus on the victims and their families. The emergency department remained open to treat those in need of care.

The hospital posted on its Web site a call for blood of all types to be donated at the Scott & White Blood Center.

Due to the "overwhelming community response," by Thursday evening the hospital was asking on its Web site that those anxious to help wait until the blood center reopened at 8 this morning.

An answering machine message at Fort Hood's Robertson Blood Center also said the need for blood to help victims of the shooting had been fulfilled for now. It advised people to listen to local media reports about future need.

Metroplex Hospital reported one person was pronounced dead at the hospital.

At least six others were taken to Metroplex Hospital, four of whom were stabilized and sent to other hospitals. The remaining two went through surgery and were transferred to the intensive care unit.

Seton Medical Center Williamson in Round Rock received two victims of the shooting.

According to a Seton spokeswoman, both were males with multiple gunshot wounds airlifted there.

One was upgraded from serious to good condition and could have been released as early as Thursday evening. The other was out of surgery and in serious condition.

No information was readily available on the victims taken to Darnall Army Medical Center at Fort Hood.

Contact Jackie Stone at jstone@kdhnews.com or (254) 501-7474.