Ft Hood Victim Reacts to Murder Charges

Staff Sergeant Patrick Zeigler was shot four times in last week’s shooting rampage in Fort Hood. He has been undergoing physical therapy in Austin since the shooting. On Thursday he spoke to FOX 7 about the charges that have been filed against Nidal Hasan.

"Two tours in Iraq and he came back and got shot up on his own soil, there's a problem there," said his father Pat Zeigler.
 

Zeigler says his son was one of dozens inside the Soldier Readiness Center at Fort Hood last Thursday.  He was shot four times, once in the head, in the left arm and shoulder and his left leg. After almost a week in the hospital, Zeigler who had just returned from Iraq is now undergoing physical therapy.

"We're working on getting the brain swelling down and he is in good spirits, he loves being in the army wants to stay in the army and he's working hard to get there," said the soldier's father.

As he begins what may be a long road to recovery to regain the movement in his left arm and leg, the Army's CID has officially charged the man they say put Zeigler in the hospital. Major Nidal Maleek Hasan faces 13 counts of premeditated murder for the 12 soldiers and one civilian killed in the shooting spree.

However, after the FBI confirmed Hasan had been in contact with a radical islamic cleric, Zeigler thinks more should be done.

"Thirteen counts of premeditated murders, that's a good start, but I really wanna see terrorist charges filed against him," says Zeigler.

Army officials vow to leave no stone unturned as they piece together a motive for the shooting rampage.

"We are doing everything possible and we are looking at every reason for this shooting we are aggressively following every possible lead, we are collectively analyzing every critical information pertaining to this case," said Army CID Spokesman Chris Grey.

Zeigler believes it's not just the shooting investigation that should be analyzed, but any possible link Hasan may have had with terrorist groups.

"The world's changed and we need to wake up to the world changing," says Zeigler.

Major Hasan may also face a 14th murder charge for the death of one of the victim's unborn child.