Washington (CNN) - President Barack Obama said Friday that flags at the White House and other federal buildings will be flown at half staff until Veterans Day in recognition of the shooting at Fort Hood, Texas.
"This is a modest tribute to those who lost their lives even as many were preparing to risk their lives for their country," he said at the White House.
"It's also a recognition of the men and women who put their lives on the line every day to protect our safety and uphold our values."
Full coverage: Fort Hood shootings
Obama said he met Friday morning with FBI Director Robert Mueller and other federal agency heads to discuss the ongoing investigation into the massacre.
"We don't know all of the answers yet, and I would caution against jumping to conclusions until we have all of the facts," he said.
The alleged shooter, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, a psychiatrist who worked in a hospital at Fort Hood, is blamed for the deaths of 12 soldiers and one civilian, military officials said.
Another 30 people were wounded; 28 of them required hospitalization.
From CNN Politics
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Lets face it. This guy snapped. This was a Psychiatrist who was helping troops that also needed a psychiatrist himself. He was falling apart loooong before he found out he was to deploy to possibly fight his so called "Muslim" brothers. Its all right there in his internet postings. An high Schooler could have found this information out, and the Army couldn't?? Spare me. This guy should have been flagged the moment he himself needed psychiatric counseling. If you want to blame someone blame the Dept of Defense and the bloated Army for the mounds of paperwork, red tape, bureaucracy, regulations, codes and classifications that let this fool slip through the cracks. Paperwork, paperwork, and more paperwork will kill you everytime.
Jumping to conclusions... Pretty easy conclusion to jump to with all of the things this guy said to his coworkers. Why is it that all the pc liberals are so quick to defend radical Muslims whilst condemning us "lowbrow" and "inbred" Americans who still have some common sense? Were you all born this stupid or did it take practice?
It's a shame that this happened on our soil. Being Muslim these days is a factor, and it is definitely something worth looking into for the investigation. We should keep a closer eye on people of certain ethnicities. I personally did not enjoy September 11th nor this, and would like to see heightened security and stricter immigration laws.
“CNN obtained surveillance video from a 7-Eleven convenience store in Fort Hood that shows a man - who according to the store owner is Hasan - at the cashier's counter about 6:20 a.m. Thursday, about seven hours before the shooting. The man is dressed in traditional Arab garb”
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Let’s not jump to conclusions.
People with muslim names and practice the muslim faith should not be allowed to be in the military or hold office in goverment.
Yes, let us not jump to conclusions about this man who incidentally practiced the "religion of peace" and who incidentally shouted "Allahu Akbar!" as he started plugging soldiers, and who incidentally handed out Korans the morning of the massacre.
Yes, let us not jump to conclusions about these inconvenient facts that might derail the media message of the "religion of Peace." It makes the goal of establishing a global muslim caliphate that much more difficult to achieve.
My Prayers are with those that were killed, injured, their families and our Military.
Absolutely true. Noting that Tim McVeigh was also former military and homegrown, never mind the shooter in the Florida this morning. Psychotics will find something to focus on and despise regardless of race, gender or education because that's what psychotic does. The "low-brows" are going to be relentless in their criticism of the president, but I can't imagine anyone more deeply troubled by this: this man, not named Smith, has made his job that much harder. It is one more thing for the single minded racists to focus on. Some say he seemed indifferent when addressing this; I thought he seemed incredibly forelorn. It's all in the eyes you're seeing it through.
And there is always a possibility that the "low-brows and inbreds" are right. Fact is, he is a Koran thumbing Muslim and is anti-American. I was pleasantly surprised that the Antidefimation Muslim group came out quick to condemn. You know Barry could just "snap" too.
This is the first thing that he has done right since becoming president. Thoughts and prayers for those at Ft. Hood and for all of our military heroes and heroines.
Good job on this...its the least he can do...
Dominican Mama, given Hasan's anti-American statements regarding the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and his opinions concerning suicide bombings, there's the very real probability that the "inbreds" are correct in their conclusions that Islam was the root cause of Mr. Hasan's actions.
Amen...You should hear the anti-arab I've heard so far this morning here at work.....
Dominican mama 4 Obama........go sell crazy some place else.
This was a Muslim extremist who shot our troops. Period.
He hated Americans....that's why he "snapped"
God Be with the Wounded and all those who lost their lives and their families and loved ones.
Thank you for this and other signs of respect for our fallen military. Dominican mama 4 obama@, why do you liberals always have to make some sort of obnoxious political statement?
I agree with Dominican Mama's comment. I'm afraid that a few of the dingbats that walk among us will decide to punish one or more innocent Muslims because of this man's insane actions. These midnight vigilantes, fueled by beer and low intelligence, occasionally take it into their minds to spray paint something profane on something, beat up a gal with a scarf – presuming her to be Muslim, or do a drive-by shooting in which only a two-year old boy and his 99 year old great grandmother are killed.
I would urge all Americans to stay calm and let the authorities investigate, but I know that the people I'm speaking of are not reading news on CNN,
Who cares about the why where when or what his name is....fry the low life
DM4O, you are correct but one has to wonder if this Major was part of a sleeper cell. When you have one group of people, who are commiting some of the most brutal acts of violence, it is natural for poeple to develop a anti sentiment. Just like when the Oklahoma City Federal Building was bombed, and when it was revealed who did it, how many white men with crew cuts or shaved heads where unfairly singled out due to they fit the description of the perps who carried out that act of terrorism? And before you jump to conclusions, I am African American so I know what it feels like to be stereo typed. So when you have so many people out there, using their religion, to justify their hatred and actions against those who do not share the same views, yeah it makes me wonder is this a doctrine being taught, to kill no muslims indiscriminately? Me personally, I think all religion is stupid so I have no beef with no one religous sect but when a man, who is a muslim, runs into a building and kills a bunch of unarmed people, while yelling Allah Akbar (sorry if I am spelling this incorrectly), which was confirmed by the base Lt General on CBS this morning, which is a battle cry which most terrorist yell before they commit an act of terror, and it is happening all over ther world on a daily bases, what is one to think
Hypocrite! This coming from the man that had nothing good to say about servicemen and women.
Pray for the souls of all who lost their lives. Pray for the wounded, the families of all involved , and pray for the disturbed service man.
The lowering of the Flag at half mast is a good decision.
Let us not jump to conclusions until the facts have been presented. Let us mourn the lives lost and for all the families affected by this tragedy.
Next week Obama will apologize to the Muslim world for the U.S. causing such mental anguish to one of their bretherin and for injuring him while he was killing 12 infidels! BAD AMERICANS....
I agree that too many people were jumping to conclusions. The ABC coverage I was listening too had their former FBI specialist talking about how this was perpetrated by a MUSLIM. He took every opportunity he had to mention that and to align this person with everything radical. He made it sound like there was eminent danger on every base from every Muslim in the armed forces.
Shame on ABC and everyone else for adding 'perspective' before the facts were in. Try reporting the news when it happens and adding your on commentary after you have verified facts.
And people wonder why there is racial and ideological strife in this country. If we could all set aside our bigotry and look at the horrible event as perpetrated by a deranged human regardless of their race, religion, or any other factor.
As for the president's shout out during his press conference, how little does he respect the men and women in uniform to stoop to that level of disrespect?
My heart, prayers and sympathies go out to the brave men and women that were injured at Fort Hood. I didn't expect Obama to lower the flag for them, but I thank him for that. This muslim attacker deserves the death penalty, either through the courts or through "other means". I'm sick of muslims attacking Americans and getting away with it. God bless America!