Perry says he's humbled after visiting wounded

TEMPLE, Texas — Texas Gov. Rick Perry visited victims of the Fort Hood shootings Saturday, describing his conversations with them as "humbling."

"I heard time after time in those hospital rooms that it's their honor to be able to serve our country, and that is a very humbling thing — to watch a young man or woman whose life has been irreparably harmed in a violent act, yet their concern and their interest is in continuing to be able to serve this country," Perry told reporters outside Scott & White Hospital, where six gunshot victims remained Saturday afternoon.

Perry said he told the wounded soldiers the entire state was behind them, and that "there's 24 million Texans praying for them and wishing them well."

The governor said he didn't speak with the victims about the Thursday shootings that left 13 dead and 30 wounded.

"We talked about these kids' families, we talked about if they needed anything, we comforted them and loved on 'em," Perry said.

Perry said he spoke with Sgt. Kimberly Munley, one of two civilian police officers who shot at suspect Major Nidal Malik Hasan. Perry said he thanked Munley during their Friday phone conversation for her heroic actions.

"She's very understated, a person who understands the gravity of what occurred, but also a classic public servant who is not interested in anything but getting on with her life," Perry said.

The state's priorities in the coming days will be supporting the victims' families, the criminal investigation and the military, he said.

"The Texas Rangers were obviously one of the first on the scene" and will continue to help federal investigators, Perry said. "They're not the lead, but they will support in anyway they are asked to."

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