On Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009 39-year-old US Army psychologist Major Nidal Malik Hasan allegedly killed 13 and left 38 others in a fit of violence at Ft Hood Texas. Sgt Kimberly Munley, a two-year veteran of the Ft. Hood base police department was credited with ending the rampage.
The End of the Ft Hood Shooting Incident
While directing traffic, she and her partner, Sgt Mark Todd, passed the Soldiers’ Readiness Processing Centre and immediately responded to shots being fired. Rounding a corner, Mundley observed Major Nidal Malik Hasan in the act of shooting unarmed soldiers and civilians. Hasan was armed with an older model Smith and Wesson 357 magnum and the powerful and rare FN 5.7mm pistol with 20-round magazines.
Mundley drew Hasan’s fire and along with Todd engaged Hasan with their Beretta 92FS (military M9 designation) sidearms in a firefight that lasted less than a minute. Hasan was hit four times and collapsed. Munley continued to engage her target with accurate fire even after she was hit by Hasan's return fire until he was no longer a threat. Todd disarmed the wounded Hasan.
Munley took three rounds to her legs and wrist that she later described as 'a scratch' even though doctors at Metroplex hospital related that she had lost so much blood that they feared she wouldn't make it.
Who is Kimberly Munley?
Kimberly Denise Munley is the wife of a Ft Bragg Green Beret, Matthew Munley, and mother of three girls. She was a former soldier herself, a Chemical Weapons specialist, before taking a job in January 2008 as DOD civilian police officer at Ft Hood, largest military base in the free world.
She was originally from Carolina Beach North Carolina and was described by her family growing up as a 'surfer girl" The town of some 4,700 near Ft Fisher is also where her father was the town mayor. Munley became a cop in neighboring Wrightsville Beach in 2000 before moving to Texas in 2005.
It was in Wrightsville Beach that the 5'2" 120 pounds officer was credited with saving the life of a fellow officer and received several commendations. While on the Ft Hood Police Department she became a firearms instructor, special response team member and was trained in active shooter scenarios.
New Active Shooter Tactics Used at Ft Hood
Sgt Kimberly Munley utilized new "Active Shooter" tactics while responding to the incident. An outgrowth of the terrible tragedies of the Austin Tower shooter, Columbine and Virginia Tech, the modern phenomena of an active shooter present a change in tactics.
Previously first responders would classify a shooter as a barricaded individual (if alone) or a hostage situation (if they were not) and standard operational response would be to contain the shooter and wait for backup.
This tactic is obsolete as a tactical team may take 30 minute or more to assemble and arrive and the average shooting event is over in less than 7. In a situation where a suspect is unpredictable and is on the attack, the new protocol is to engage the active shooter and terminate the threat- even if outgunned. Sgt Munley responded how she was trained and ended the threat.
Fort Hood’s Commanding officer Lieutenant-General Robert Cone, stated in a press conference on November 6. “The critical factor here was her quick response to the situation.”
Sources:
Hero 'Civilian Cops' Emerge After Fort Hood Shooting: Sgt. Kimberly Munley Lost So Much Blood Doctors Feared She Wouldn't Survive Sarah Netter ABC News November 7, 2009
Rampage Guns Purchased Legally Lara Jakes and Devlin Barrett AP Wire November 7, 2009
She Ran to Gunfire and Ended It; Highly Trained Sergeant Brought Down Gunman, James C McKinley, Jr New York Times November 6, 2009.
The Mother Who Brought Down the Fort Hood Killer, Chris Ayres Times Online Nov 7, 2009
'Tough cookie' Sgt. Kimberly Munley took down Fort Hood gunman, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan Rich Shapiro New York Daily Times November 7, 2009
Join the Conversation