AUSTIN - U.S. military officials say gunmen have opened fire at an army base in central Texas, killing at least 12 people and wounding as many as 31.

Lieutenant General Bob Cone, an official at the base, said the incident started Thursday afternoon at Fort Hood, Texas, in the Soldier Readiness Center, which prepares troops for deployment.

Cone said one gunman was killed, as was a civilian police officer responding to the attack.  Two additional soldiers have been detained as suspects.  Cone said the alleged shooters were using handguns.  

The army base has been put on lockdown as authorities assess the situation.

In Washington, U.S. President Barack Obama called the shooting a “horrific outburst of violence.”  Mr. Obama said the Pentagon, Department of Homeland Security and FBI are all working together to ensure the base is secure.

The president said it was “horrifying” that men and women who serve their country should come under fire on American soil.   

Fort Hood is one of the Army’s largest U.S. posts, with more than 30,000 troops stationed there.  The base serves as a major training center for troops preparing to deploy overseas.

In a written statement, Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison said she is “shocked and saddened” by the outburst of violence at Fort Hood, and extended her condolences to the victims’ families.

Source:  VOA News