Report: US Army base shooting leaves at least 7 dead (2nd Lead)

Nov 5, 2009, 20:12 GMT

Washington - At least two gunmen opened fire on a US Army base in Texas on Thursday, killing seven people and wounding up to 15, local media reported.

One of the gunman was in custody and there was a second on the run on the massive base, Sergeant Major Jamie Posten, a Fort Hood spokesman, said on CNN. He could not confirm the number of dead.

'We are on the lookout for the second shooter,' he said.

The base, the largest US military installation in the world, was closed to traffic in and out as a search was underway for the second suspect. It was also unclear whether the shooters were civilian personnel or military.

The base was quickly placed into lockdown. A message on the Fort Hood website said: 'Effective immediately Fort Hood is closed' and ordered all commanders to account for personnel.

Fort Hood, which lies about 95 kilometres north of Texas's capital city Austin, houses several units that have been deployed to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.