Peter Williams

Editor

A Richmond County native who was wounded in a shooting last week at Fort Hood in Texas, had worked with the doctor accused of the rampage just two weeks before, according to the Austin American-Statesman.

Staff Sgt. Alonzo (Mac) Lunsford, 43, was shot four times and is recovering in a Texas hospital, said Rockingham Mayor Gene McLaurin. McLaurin accompanied Lunsford’s mother, Johnsey Lunsford, City Clerk for the City of Rockingham, on her very first plane ride on Saturday so she could visit her son.

Mac Lunsford was working as a medic at the Soldier Readiness Processing Center Thursday afternoon when he saw Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, sitting nearby, according to a story published in the Austin American-Statesboro. The two had crossed paths two weeks earlier when they checked a soldier into the post's psychiatric ward,

Hasan seemed "very down to earth" that day, Lunsford remembered. But now, Lunsford said, Hasan was suddenly jumping up and yelling, "Allahu Akhbar!"

Three bullets fired in rapid succession — boom, boom, boom. A brief pause. Four more rounds.

Like other soldiers, Lunsford thought the gunfire was part of a training exercise and reacted slowly, according to the newspaper story. The momentary spell was broken when the shout went out: "Gun!"

"I hit the deck," Lunsford said. Then he realized he'd been hit, blood streaming from his head. He didn't feel the next two bullets that hit him in the abdomen, he recalled Saturday night from his hospital bed. A fourth bullet hit him in the back.

Pvt. Marquest Smith popped his head over a cubicle wall "to see where the gun was. It was just a quick up and down to see where he was at."

Chairs were toppled, tables overturned. Soldiers were running, diving, shouting. Bodies were falling, and the shooter, shockingly, was wearing a U.S. military uniform. Smith ducked back down and pulled a nearby civilian under a desk. Gunfire continued.

One of the first victims was Pvt. Najee Hull, according to his brother, Nate Hull.

"He was shot in his leg first, and as my brother tried to crawl away, he walked up and shot him two more times in the back," Nate Hull said.

Army officials believe Hasan fired more than 100 bullets, about one round every four to six seconds. The waiting area contained about 300 soldiers and 100 civilian workers.

The attack was fast and merciless. Many of the victims were targeted three or four times; head, neck and chest wounds were common.

On Monday McLaurin said Lunsford was blessed.

“Mac was very lucky,” Mayor McLaurin said. “His left eye is swollen shut but you can see how close the bullet came. We’re talking millimeters.”

Lunsford remained upbeat throughout Saturday’s visit, McLaurin said.

“He was glad to see us and he was really glad to see his Mom,” the Mayor said. “He talked about Rockingham and Richmond County and all the friends he still has here. You could tell he was sore and he was in pain, and I’m not sure the whole impact of what happened has sunk in yet.”

Because of the damage, some of Lunsford’s colon had to be removed.

His mother is staying at her son’s house in Killeen. Mac is separated from his wife Dynelle. The couple have a daughter 12 and a son age 9.

He had to be readmitted to the Intensive Care Unit over the weekend because of breathing problems.