A Muslim army psychiatrist opposed to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan opened fire on fellow soldiers at the world's largest military base yesterday, killing 13 people and wounding at least 30.

His family said that he had been due to be deployed to Iraq – a posting they described as "his worst nightmare".

At least two other men in uniform were initially suspected of involvement in the incident at Fort Hood in Texas, raising fears of a co-ordinated attack.

However, Lieutenant-General Bob Cone, the base commander, confirmed later that there was only one suspected gunman, identified last night as Major Nidal Malik Hasan, a doctor specialising in mental health.

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Flags outside churches and cemeteries around the sprawling military base were at half-mast as its occupants tried to comprehend the slaughter in their midst.

Despite initial reports that Major Hasan had been killed during the shooting, Lieutenant-General Cone said that he was still alive and in hospital after undergoing surgery for his wounds.

"There was a single shooter that was shot multiple times at the scene," Lieutenant-General Cone said. "He was not killed as previously reported. He is currently in custody and in stable condition.

“He’s not currently speaking to investigators. I would say his death is not imminent.”

Asked if the shootings were a terrorist act, Lieutenant-General Cone said: “I couldn’t rule that out but ... the evidence does not suggest that.”

Major Hasan, 39, was shot four times by a female officer – who survived and is in hospital. Officials said the gunman was on a ventilator and unconscious.

He was found near a military police officer who had himself been shot and who later died of his wounds. The attack was said to have lasted only a few minutes.

Terry Lee, a retired colonel who worked with the gunman, said that Major Hasan had told him that he hoped President Obama would pull troops out of Afghanistan and Iraq and got into frequent arguments with others in the military who supported the wars.

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