Blood Donations Needed on Scott & White Hospital After Fort Hood Shootings

An urgent call for blood donations followed a shooting that left 13 people dead and another 31 wounded Thursday at the Fort Hood Army Post near Killeen.

Metroplex Hospital in Killeen received seven patients that included five men and two women, a hospital spokesman told NBC News. One of the men died at the hospital and two other people were in surgery.  Two of the male patients are military members and the remaining five are civilians.

Three other men were airlifted to Seton Medical Center in Austin, while one woman was transported by ground ambulance to Scott & White Hospital in Temple. The hospital said it was also receiving several other gunshot wound victims.

Scott & White Hospital placed a call for blood donations of all blood types on its Web site Thursday afternoon. It also announced that it has closed emergency services to the public.

Meanwhile, the American Red Cross urged anyone who is concerned about a loved one at Fort Hood to visit its Web site and click on the Safe and Well link. That’s where you can enter the name of the person you are looking for, or they can search to see if their loved one has registered.

“The situation is still uncertain on the base and it may take several hours before people can register that they’re safe and well,” American Red Cross spokeswoman Anita Foster said. “Local residents are encouraged to keep checking the Safe and Well site, as well as trying to make contact via cell phone, e-mail, text messages, etc.”