Fort Hood Shooter Is Mass Murderer Rather than Terrorist

People who knew and studied Maj. Nidal Hasan - Fort Hood shooter - say he was a loner who had no luck finding a wife. Meanwhile, a criminal profiler said the Fort Hood shooting suspect fits the profile of a mass murderer better than that of a terrorist.

Photo: Fort Hood Shooter Is Mass Murderer Rather than Terrorist

Investigators are searching for any missed "red flags" that might have prevented last week's fatal shooting, which left 12 soldiers and one civilian dead and 40 other people wounded. However, the FBI has said its investigations indicate the "alleged gunman acted alone and was not part of a broader terrorist plot."

"A lot of people are jumping to the conclusion because this man spouted violent Islamic ideology that this is a terrorist attack," criminologist Pat Brown said, CNN reports.

It was also reported, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan's dingy apartment holds the odd remnants of a solitary military life, with hints of secrets and suggestions of terrible plans.

Investigators surrendered control of the apartment back to its owner Wednesday morning, nearly a week after the U.S. Army psychiatrist left it and drove to Fort Hood to attack his fellow soldiers and civilian employees, killing 13 and wounding 29.

A manager at the Casa Del Norte apartments allowed media into Hasan's one-bedroom, upstairs unit shortly after the owner inspected it, taped one closet shut and left, shaking his head. "The owner feels a little guilty," said manager Alice Thompson, Dallas Morning News reports.

Hasan is accused of killing 13 people and wounding 33 others after he opened fire at a Fort Hood processing center for deploying soldiers on Nov. 5. Hasan, 39, a psychiatrist, was slated to be processed through that center that day.

It's possible that Hasan's promotion was approved in fall 2008, said Thomas Kurmel, a retired Army colonel who worked in medical services.

Hasan's promotion would have been determined by a board of colonels and higher-ranking officers, Kurmel said. The board's decision can be influenced by factors apart from the candidate, such as the need for professionals in that field and in that rank.

Kurmel said it is difficult to second-guess the medical commanders on whether they reacted strongly enough to Hasan's behavior.

"Perhaps somebody should have pulled him aside and said, 'OK, I think it's time we need to talk,' " Kurmel said. He said it is also possible that Hasan's status as a Muslim might have helped ensure his advancement through the ranks.

"The need to have people in the military who understand the Muslim culture and religion is great, there's no question about that," he said, USA Today reports.