Fort Bliss Community Reacts to Shooting

There are more questions than answers in Monday’s shooting at a Fort Bliss convenience store where a man shot and wounded two other people. Post officials offered little information about the shooting, leaving many in the military community concerned, but not surprised.

“Being in the military, not a whole lot surprises me,” Fort Bliss soldier Rachel Wehrle said. “I just came from Fort Bragg where horrendous things happened a lot, so it happens.”

This isn’t the first time a shooting occurs at Fort Bliss. In April 2009, a 23-year-old man shot and killed his wife at the Fort Bliss Post Exchange, or the PX. She was a Fort Bliss soldier and officials confirmed the two had been experiencing marital problems.

“Anything can set them off,” Mario Gonzalez said. He owns a business near Fort Bliss. “If they have access to weapons, personal weapons, then you are going to find incidents like this happening more and more often.”

Registered firearms are allowed through the post’s gates, but

Firearms must be registered on post within 72 hours of acquisition. Soldiers who live off post must also register weapons, but Gonzalez said that will do little to deter people with deadly intentions.

“They hold their random inspections on our vehicles when we drive in and out,” Gonzalez said. “They check, but you can walk in there with a weapon in your vehicle.”