Lt.Gen. Mark Milley reversed his earlier statement that "unstable psychiatric condition" prompted Ivan Lopez to kill himself and three colleagues and injure 16 others in the Fort Hood shooting incident.
The military official announced during a press conference that investigators are looking into the possibility of dispute between Lopez and a fellow soldier as motive of the Fort Hood massacre.
Lt. Gen. Milley earlier told the reporters that Lopez had been undergoing assessments as he had manifestations of post-traumatic stress disorder. Lopez was also under medication for his depression and anxiety before he died of self-inflicted gunshot; however, military officials did not make any reports as to his previous behaviors that might have indicated possibility of him having a bad behavior.
The army spokesperson clarified that the gunman's mental conditions is not the "precipitating factor" as to why he committed the deadly massacre and suggested that there was an "escalating argument" that sparked between Lopez and a colleague prior to the shooting incident.
The shooting incident inside the Texas military base, Fort Hood, happened on April 3 which resulted to the death of Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Ferguson, Staff Sgt. Carlos Rodriguez and Sgt. Timothy Owens. 16 others were hurt. Lopez killed himself through self-inflicted gunshot in a parking lot in Fort Hood.
The 34-year Puerto Rican was reportedly denied a leave form. The incident angered him and incited him to get a gun and shoot his fellow shoulders. Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Ferguson allegedly used his body to keep the door closed and prevent Lopez from shooting the others.
"If he was not being the one against that door holding it, that shooter would have been able to get through and shoot everyone else," Kristen Haley, Ferguson's fiancée told the reporters.
In a statement made by the Lopez family, they claimed his recent transfer to the base may have affected his existing condition and that "he must not have been in his right mind." The Lopezes asked for prayers for the families affected by the incident.
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