Lawmakers' briefing causes confusion on wounded

WASHINGTON — A pair of military briefings to members of Congress about the Fort Hood rampage resulted in confusion and conflicting information late Friday on the number of wounded.

Two congressmen and a senator said they had been told the number of wounded had risen to 38, or eight more than had been publicly reported by the military. But a fourth lawmaker, who had been among those briefed, said the 38 figure included some that had been hospitalized for stress, and had not been shot.

In addition to the 30 wounded in the shootings, lawmakers were told that eight additional people were taken to the hospital to be treated for stress and trauma in the hours immediately following the event, said Lindsey Mask, a spokeswoman for Rep. Buck McKeon, R-Calif.

Sen. Mark Udall, D-Colo., and Reps. Solomon Ortiz and Mike McCaul, both of Texas, said they understood the briefers to say the "wounded" had totaled 38. Thirteen people were killed in Thursday's attack at the Texas Army post.

Senators and House members had been briefed separately by Maj. Gen. James Huggins, director of Army operations and readiness, and Army Undersecretary Joseph Westphal.

Fort Hood reiterated that 30 people were wounded.

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Nov 6, 2009 - 08:21 p.m. EDT

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