November 7, 2009 - A police officer and mother of one was hailed a heroine yesterday after it emerged that she almost single handedly ended the massacre at America’s biggest military base.Kimberly Munley does not look as if she would be much of a match for a heavily armed US soldier on a murderous rampage. But the slightly built 34-year-old civilian officer was first on the scene after Major Nidal Malik Hasan began firing on comrades at Ford Hood in Texas as they prepared to deploy to Afghanistan and Iraq. The 39-year-old psychologist killed 13 and left 31 others with serious injuries.
On Thursday afternoon Ms Munley was doing her usual job of directing traffic on the sprawling base. By chance, she and her partner happened to walk past the Soldiers’ Readiness Processing Centre soon after Major Hasan — armed with two handguns — cornered his fellow soldiers. Soldiers who witnessed the rampage described the gunfire as continuous, methodical and well aimed.
Ms Munley succeeded in bringing him down by shooting him four times, even after being hit by a bullet that passed through both her legs, according to witnesses.
Her swift reaction and courage were being praised last night for preventing many more deaths.
“It was an amazing and aggressive performance by this police officer,” said Lieutenant-General Robert Cone, Fort Hood’s commanding officer. “The critical factor here was her quick response to the situation.”
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