7 dead in US base rampage.

AT LEAST seven people were killed yesterday in a shooting spree at the biggest army base in America.

Witnesses at Fort Hood, Texas saw gunmen dressed in military fatigues and carrying M16 assault rifles.

Twenty other victims were wounded. A woman, a child and a policeman were said to be among the casualties.

Army chiefs said one suspect had been arrested. Another, armed with a sniper rifle, was said to have been cornered in a building.

Other reports said a third man may have been involved.

The Pentagon said the rampage began at a personnel centre for soldiers before more shots were fired at a theatre nearby.

Blood Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison said she had been told the shooting started while soldiers at the personnel centre were being processed to be sent to Iraq or Afghanistan.

The 340 square-mile base, home to more than 45,000 troops, was "locked down", and soldiers and civilian staff were told to stay away from windows.

The Fort Hood website said: "This is not a drill."

Texas Congressman John Carter said shots were fired during a graduation ceremony which he attended at the base. Other reports said a SWAT team had been fired on.

One of Carter's aides, Greg Schannep, said he was heading towards the theatre where the graduation was being held when a soldier ran past him with blood pouring from a wound to his shoulder.

The FBI said agents were on their way to the scene. All ambulance crews in the area were told to respond to a "mass casualty event" at the base.

President Obama was being kept informed.

CAPTION(S):

LOCKDOWN: Fort Hood