Hospitals give updates on victims Posted On: Saturday, Nov. 7 2009 05:40 AM By Mason W. Canales
Killeen Daily Herald

Metroplex doctors recited their roles on Friday of helping victims in Thursday's mass shooting on Fort Hood.

In a press conference, five doctors and the CEO and President of Metroplex Adventist Hospital Carlyle Walton described the events that unfolded at the hospital as it took in victims from the shooting on Thursday.

"We were in the midst of a busy ER day, when we started to hear word of the stuff happening on Fort Hood," said Dr. Scott McAninch, medical director of the emergency department.

Seven victims were transported to the hospital from the shooting, Walton said. One was under distress in route to the hospital and was later pronounced dead.

Doctors, such as Gail Burbridge and Kelly Matlock, who usually don't perform operations in the ER to see if they could help, made there way to the ER as the victims started to arrived.

"We did take two people to the operating room," Burbridge said.

One was a man who was shot twice and another was woman who was shot in the legs, Burbridge said.

The male patients main wound was to the hip, and he is now in stable condition, awake and communicating.

"It is really to early to tell, but I believe he will make a full recovery," Burbridge said.

He is in the ICU recovering.

The female victim suffered a wound that severed an artery, Matlock said. She came in with tourniquet around her leg, that had been supplied by a soldier. Had she not had the tourniquet, "she would have died."

Surgeons operated on the victim were able treat the wounds.

She is now recovering in the ICU, and with rehabilitation she will hopefully be able to get full motion again, said Dr. Freddie Morales, a pulmonary physician.

The four other patients were stabilized. Two of those patients were transferred to Scott and White in Temple and other two were transferred to Seton in Round Rock.

"Our community experienced a horrendous tragedy and the Metroplex team met it with compassion and skill," Walton said.

Contact Mason W. Canales mcanales@kdhnews.com or (254) 501-7554.