Bolingbrook man a victim of Fort Hood shooting rampage

November 6, 10:07 AMChicago Community Life ExaminerChristine Nyholm

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The U.S. flag flies at half mast in front of the Army's III Corps headquarters at Fort Hood, Texas, Friday, Nov. 6, 2009.
(AP Photo/LM Otero)

The Fort Hood shooting sent shock waves through the United States at the violent act by suspect Major Malik Hasan, a military psychiatrist who opened fire at the Texas military base, killing 13. Most of the victims were soldiers, about to be deployed to Iraq. One of the victims has a local connection, because he was from Bolingbrook, which is a suburb of Chicago, Illinois.

Private First Class Michael Pearson, 21, was among the 13 who had been killed in the shooting rampage. Sheryl Pearson told the Chicago Tribune that she and her husband learned that their son, Pfc. Michael Pearson, was killed in the Ft. Hood attack.

According to ABC News, Pearson told the Tribune that her son had joined the Army over a year ago and was in training to deactivate bombs. Sheryl Pearson said that she and her husband had been called on Thursday by their son's sergeant,who told them that Pfc. Pearson had been shot three times. Later the Army surgeon called to tell them that Pfc. Pearson had died.

Pfc. Pearson was one of 13 people killed in the shooting rampage. Among the dead were 12 soldiers and one civilian. Pfc. Pearson's name was the first to be released.

The suspect, Major Nidal Malik Hasan, 39, is a psychiatrist licensed in Virginia who was practicing at Darnall Army Medical Center at Fort Hood. Hasan was scheduled to be deployed to Iraq and reportedly did not want to go, but whether that was a factor in the shooting is unknown at this time.

Hasan is a practicing Muslim who was born in the United Stated and is a citizen of the United States. Just why he allegedly opened fire and perpetrated the worst shooting in a US Army base in history is a mystery. It was reported, but not confirmed,  that Hasan shouted 'Allahu Akbar,' which means “God is Great,” as he opened fire.

Military investigators are waiting to interview suspect Nidal Makil Hasan, who was reported to be on a ventilator but in stable condition, according to a news report on CNN.

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