Fort Hood victim grew up in Lafayette

FORT HOOD, Texas (WLFI) - Nathan Hewitt, a graduate from Lafayette Jefferson High School's class of 2000, is recovering after being shot in the calf and hip.

Nathan Hewitt has completed one tour of duty in Iraq and was headed to Afghanistan. Nathan's uncle Rex Deaton spoke with Nathan after the incident. Deaton said Nathan was at a Fort Hood medical facility getting shots before deploying when a man dress in a military uniform opened the door.

"The next thing he knows there was a lot of shooting going on and he hollered to some other people in the room with him to follow him and they escaped out of the back door," explained Deaton.

His uncle said it's characteristic of Nathan to think of others.

"I don't know if that cost him the gunshot wounds trying to help fellow people out of the room," said Deaton. "I don't want to second guess. I don't know. Most certainly he would try to help someone else, thinking of them before himself."

Nathan told his family he would be hospitalized for a while, but didn't feel his wounds were serious. Still, his uncle expressed surprise his nephew would be shot on US soil after surviving a tour of duty in Iraq.

"We always felt like when he was over protecting the country everyone was concerned something could happen and you're hearing every day someone is killed and there's an ambush," said Deaton. "You always worry, but I never dreamed it could happen at Fort Hood."

The family says they are proud of Nathan and thankful he survived and is safe.

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