Monessen Woman Among Injured In Fort Hood Shooting

A Monessen woman was injured in the shooting rampage that left 13 people dead and 30 injured at the Texas post Thursday.

Army 2nd Lt. Brandy Mason graduated from Monessen High School in 1995 as an honors student and a basketball player. Brandy's daughter now attends Monessen High.

Mason was shot in the upper thigh and is expected to make a full recovery.

VIDEO: Monessen Woman Among Injured SLIDESHOW: Tragedy At Fort Hood

The base commander at Fort Hood said soldiers who witnessed the tragedy reported that the gunman shouted "Allahu Akbar!" before opening fire.

Lt. Gen. Robert Cone told NBC's "Today" show on Friday that suspected shooter, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, made the comment, which is Arabic for "God is great!" before the rampage Thursday that also left 30 people wounded.

Channel 11 News received a number of calls and e-mails from viewers on Thursday who were worried about loved ones serving at Fort Hood.

Kimberly Yonkovich was one of many Pittsburgh residents glued to their television sets awaiting any news at all about the their military loved ones stationed at the base where 13 soldiers were killed and 30 wounded.

If you have a family member or friend stationed at Fort Hood, Channel 11 News wants to hear from you! E-mail us at webstaff@wpxi.com

Yonkovich's nephew, Pvt. Raymond Briscoe, 25, was transferred to Fort Hood in September. Since receiving the tragic news about the massacre at the base, Yonkovich tried unsuccessfully to reach him by phone on Thursday.

"My fear is that he's gone," said Yonkovich. "I'm just praying to God he's just one of the injured. That's not like him. He has two cell phones and he does answer both of them."

However, on Friday, Yonkovich told Channel 11 News that her nephew is alive and well.

"He, with other Army soldiers, were being asked questions on what happened when the mayhem started," Yonkovich said.

Yonkovich lost another nephew about five years ago in Iraq. He was killed when a land mine exploded near where his troop was stationed.

Pittsburgh soldier Amber Blue, a communications specialist in the military, returned home from Fort Hood three months ago.

"I just want to know what was going through his head at the time," said Blue. "People go to you for help who have been through this. What caused you to do damage?"

Pittsburgh resident Lisa Renz sent Channel 11 News a picture of her son, Patrick, who is stationed at Fort Hood. She said he was supposed to give blood in the same building where the shootings happened.

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According to Renz, her son was scheduled to give blood 30 minutes prior to the shootings. However, she said he changed his mind and instead went in the morning.

Military officials said they are still piecing together what may have pushed Hasan, an Army psychiatrist trained to help soldiers in distress, to turn on his comrades.

Cone said Hasan was not known to be a threat or risk.

Hasan was shot four times during the rampage. Cone said he is hospitalized in stable condition and that military officials will interrogate him as soon as possible.

The Fort Hood tragedy hits close to home for Pittsburgh residents. In April, a gunman in Stanton Heights opened fire, killing three Pittsburgh police officers in April. Richard Poplawski is accused in the shooting deaths of Paul J. Sciullo II, Stephen J. Mayhle and Eric G. Kelly.

The officers were responding to a domestic disturbance call at Poplawski's home when he allegedly opened fire on them.