Outpouring of support continues from community Posted On: Tuesday, Nov. 10 2009 05:08 AM By Hailey Persinger
Killeen Daily Herald

As the shock of Thursday's mass shooting at Fort Hood wears off, the feelings of solidarity between Fort Hood and Central Texas continue to strengthen.

When news broke Thursday that a man had opened fire at Fort Hood, killing 13 and wounding 38, area hospitals, counseling services and charities jumped to respond. By Friday afternoon, blood banks were full, crisis counselors had opened their doors and thousands of dollars had been raised for families of the victims.

That response, said Tino Padron, who works the midnight shift at Hallmark Restaurant, is typical in a place like Killeen, where the military and civilian worlds share a somewhat symbiotic relationship.

"They kind of look at it as a family," Padron said of Central Texas residents. "It hits you close because it's part of your community. It's people you see every day."

Padron likened Thursday's shooting to the 1991 Luby's massacre that left 23 people dead, including the shooter. The community response since Thursday, he said, mirrors the outpouring of support that occurred 18 years ago.

Residents worked through their grief and encouraged their neighbors to keep going, a reaction Padron said he fully expects this time around as well.

"What else can you do?" he said. "It's life. You've got to keep going."

Retaining a sense of normalcy is a priority for the city. City meetings have continued as usual and businesses have stayed open.

Ashley Carmen, a waitress at the Kettle Restaurant in Killeen, said she was out of town when she heard about the shooting.

Though Carmen is not a Killeen native – she was raised in Wisconsin – she said being part of Killeen is like being part of "a big family." Most of her regulars are soldiers who drive the short distance from post to the restaurant for lunch or dinner; getting back to be part of the community outreach was high on her list of priorities.

"I couldn't wait to get back here to see my friends who come in all the time," she said.

Though the tragedy is still fresh in the minds of those near Fort Hood and in Central Texas, the next steps of working through the grief and ultimately healing from the losses are at the front of Padron's mind.

"This is Killeen," he said. "We will take care of the community. They will continue taking care of people."

Contact Hailey Persinger at haileyp@kdhnews.com or (254) 501-7568.