Gunman who shot three before killing himself served in Iraq

Officials at Fort Hood have released few details about the gunman who killed three people before taking his own life in a shooting at the sprawling Army base.

Here is what is known about him.

:: His name is Ivan Lopez. He is married, has other family members and lives in the Fort Hood area, having arrived at the post in February from another military base in Texas. He was assigned to the 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) at Fort Hood, which is a logistics and support unit. Officials have not released his rank , but said he was not in the process of leaving the Army.

:: Lopez served for four months in Iraq in 2011. He was not wounded in action while serving overseas, but self-reported a traumatic brain injury upon his return to the US. “He was not a wounded warrior,” said Lieutenant General Mark Milley, the senior officer at Fort Hood. “He was not wounded in action, to our records, no Purple Heart, not wounded in action in that regard.”

:: Lopez had several mental health issues. He was taking medication and receiving psychiatric help for depression and anxiety, and was undergoing a process to determine whether he had post-traumatic stress disorder. “We do not know a motive,” Lt Gen Milley said. “We do know that this soldier had behavioural health and mental health issues, and was being treated for that.”

:: Lopez had one weapon, a .45 calibre Smith and Wesson handgun, that was not registered with post authorities as required. Authorities do not yet know how much ammunition he was carrying.

:: Lopez died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He killed himself in a car park at the base transportation brigade’s administration building, after he was confronted by a military policewoman. “It was clearly heroic, what she did at that moment in time,” Lt Gen Milley said. “She did her job, and she did exactly what we would expect of United States Army military police.”