Fort Bliss Soldier killed by husband at busy Post Exchange

Witness said panic set in and you can imagine what that must have been like. Imagine being a soldier, making it back from combat, feeling secure on base, and then this happens. Where is "safe" after that? Events like this can cause PTSD in civilians, never experiencing combat, so it's easy to imagine how a tragedy like this can cause PTSD in the witnesses at the PX. We've already done a lousy job addressing educational needs of families when it comes to PTSD returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Had we done a better job, more would have the tools they need to be better able to cope with something like this, but we are so far from it, they will need immediate help at Fort Bliss to take care of everyone on base. From this point on, no one will ever walk into the PX and not think of this horrific event.

Please pray for the family of the female soldier and everyone at Fort Bliss, along with her husband's family. While he decided to kill his wife, they will feel a lot of pain as well.

Fort Bliss Soldier Shot Dead On Post
Arleene Barrios-KFOX News Reporter
Posted: 8:51 pm MDT April 4, 2009
Updated: 9:29 pm MDT April 4, 2009

FORT BLISS, Texas -- Some Ft. Bliss soldiers and their family members are questioning their safety after a soldier was gunned down on post Saturday afternoon.

The shooting happened at the Ft. Bliss Post Exchange Store at about 4:00 p.m. The PX was full of customers when the shots rang out.

“I went to hand the money to the cashier, and the first shot gets fired. It sounded almost like a balloon popping. Everyone completely froze, and I looked over and saw a shadow of somebody running in the back of the store,” said a military wife who wanted to remain anonymous because her husband is a Ft. Bliss soldier.

The couple was out doing their Saturday grocery shopping when someone in the store pulled out a gun and started firing.

“Four shots ring out, and you hear a thud in the back of the store. You hear a body hit the floor, and everyone stares at each other, and then there's mass panic,” she said.

She and other customers dropped to the ground before running out to safety. She said there was a military police officer outside who had no idea what had just happened, but ran inside to help.

“The alleged shooter was believed to be the husband of the victim who is a soldier at Ft. Bliss,” said Col. Ed Manning, Ft. Bliss Garrison Commander.

Manning said the husband showed up and surprised his wife who was shopping at the PX. Investigators said she was shot in the head at close range, then he turned the gun himself in an attempt to commit suicide.

She was pronounced dead at 4:45 p.m. at Thomason Hospital.

Ft. Bliss has not released the name of the soldier, but said the 19 year old soldier recently moved here for training and lived in the barracks.

Her husband, who is a civilian, lived off post, but had access to it because he is a family member. Both are from Washington State.
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http://www.kfoxtv.com/news/19097289/detail.html

UPDATE
Man who shot soldier wife, self is brain dead
The Associated PressPosted : Monday Apr 6, 2009 14:15:43 EDT

EL PASO, Texas — The FBI says a man who shot and killed his wife at a Fort Bliss store before shooting himself is brain dead and expected to be taken off life support.
Kevin Patrick Beckel, 23, was declared brain dead Sunday morning but remained on life support, FBI spokeswoman Andrea Simmons said.
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http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/04/ap_blissshooting_040609/