Specialist Jason Dean Hunt, a 22 year old male soldier from Del City Oklahoma, died on November 5, 2009, at Fort Hood, Texas. He was a quiet, family‑oriented individual, described by those who knew him as “kind, very quiet,” someone who “enjoyed video games” rather than hunting or sports. His mother was notified late that night by two uniformed soldiers. He had graduated from Tipton High School in 2005 and enlisted in the U.S. Army in 2006.
After serving 15 months in Iraq, he re‑enlisted for another six‑year term and was awaiting deployment at the time of his death.
The 22 year old male soldier had married Jennifer Morgan on August 22, 2009, just over two months before the shooting. He was known as J.D. within his family. He was deeply devoted to his loved ones—his sister Leila recounted that he had said he would “die for my children in a second, too, children that aren't his,” and that he'd “die for a complete stranger and would jump in front of a bullet for any of his soldiers”. During his funeral service in Norman, approximately 200 people gathered to remember the 22 year old male soldier of Frederick, Oklahoma, lauded as a “loving husband and family man” and a “soldier who left a legacy of selflessness and service.” His sister expressed that he had always been a hero, and that his selflessness likely led to his death.
On November 5, 2009, at approximately 1:34 p.m. Central Time, Major Nidal Hasan, an Army psychiatrist, opened fire at the Soldier Readiness Processing Center at Fort Hood near Killeen, Texas. The attack was a mass homicide and is recognized as the deadliest shooting on a U.S. military base, with 13 people killed and over 30 injured. The 22 year old male Specialist Jason Dean Hunt was among those fatally shot—he was shot in the back according to the official casualty listing.
The shooter, Major Nidal Hasan, acted alone, armed with an FN Five-seven pistol outfitted with laser sights. He had purchased that weapon in advance and practiced at a shooting range prior to the attack. Investigators later reviewed Hasan's communications with radical imam Anwar al‑Awlaki, but found no evidence of direct orders or assistance; the FBI and other agencies determined there were no additional suspects. Following a court‑martial in 2013, Hasan was convicted on 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted murder and sentenced to death. He remains the only federal death row inmate in the U.S. military justice system.
