I watched the news on Fort Hood from almost the moment it began happening.  There was a Twitter stream and Facebook updates and even though we don’t have television any more I livestreamed radio and TV broadcasts.

The cost of minute by minute reports is that some inaccurate information gets reported.  I rejoiced to hear that shots had not been fired in the housing developments on base.  I quickly retweeted the call for blood donors at the local hospitals, since it was all I could do, really, besides pray.

I waited to see if my friend who was stationed at the base would update his Facebook page.  (He and his family are safe.)

Dribs and drabs tweeted-posted -broadcast.  The shooter had “an Arabic sounding name”.  There was a high powered rifle involved.  He was a psychiatrist.  He went to VA Tech.  He was shot 4 times and killed.  Oops, no rifle, only handguns. A 13th person died.  Oops, no, 12 dead, 31 injured.

Someone tweeted:

want to know: Is it “innnovative” or “exploitive” to set up updating twitter account for horrific shooting?

I replied to this total stranger:

not for family and friends dying for news on the shooting. Not exploitative at all IMO.

Some tweets starting getting ugly.  Others called for love.  I posted on Facebook:

Shooter has “Arabic sounding name” – Malik Nadal Hasan. Please, God, don’t let racism and xenophobia make the tragedy any worse. Please let everyone keep their heads.

Later, it was revealed that Malik Nadal Hasan was still alive, and had been shot by a civilian woman (a local police officer, I think)

The Twitter stream veered off course.  People called for the Fort Hood shooting not to derail the healthcare vote.  Others, noting Hasan was an Army doctor, preached that this is what we could look forward to with Obamacare.  A caller to a local talk radio show ranted about cover ups and assault rifles.  Many promoted their opinion that this was a cover up.

Jake Tapper tweeted a statement made by Hasan’s family, 140 characters at a time.

Real time reporting is ugly and beautiful and addictive.  Is this the future?

Twelve people won’t return home tonight.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon them.  May they rest in peace.

**Added Nov. 6 morning**  Fourteen people are dead.  Thirteen people killed directly plus an unborn baby.  His mother had just returned from Iraq.