Many at Fort Lewis have been stationed at Fort Hood

THE OLYMPIAN | • Published November 06, 2009

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A Fort Lewis spokesman said he couldn't share information about the local post's security posture, other than to say "at this time we don't have any indication of a specific threat against Fort Lewis."

Fort Hood is the largest U.S. Army base, and Fort Lewis is the third-largest. Many local soldiers and their families were previously stationed at Fort Hood.

“On behalf of the entire Fort Lewis community, our thoughts and prayers are with the soldiers and families at Fort Hood, and their friends and loved ones, as this situation plays out,” said Fort Lewis spokesman Joe Piek.

Fort Lewis has been the scene of a few domestic stabbings in recent years, but the most public display of violence came on July 22 of this year, when a gunman killed a woman he had dated who was working as a civilian vendor at the post exchange. The gunman, a 59-year-old former sergeant first class, shot and killed Sharlona White, 33, and then himself. Nobody else was hurt.

Military police moved people from the scene, closed the Wal-Mart-sized shopping center and cordoned the area.

Matt Misterek, The News Tribune