MOSCOW, November 6 (RIA Novosti) - The sole shooter in a rampage at the Fort Hood military base in the U.S. state of Texas on Thursday is alive, CNN quoted Army Lt. Gen. Robert Cone as saying.

The suspect, identified as Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, 39, a mental health doctor who Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison said was about to be deployed to Iraq, had earlier been reported killed. He is "in custody and in stable condition," Cone said.

Twelve people were killed and 31 wounded in the shooting that U.S. President Barack Obama called "a horrific outburst of violence," adding that it was "horrifying" that soldiers "should come under fire at an Army base on American soil."

CNN quoted Cone as telling journalists: "Preliminary reports indicate there was a single shooter that was shot multiple times at the scene. However, he was not killed as previously reported."

The shooting rampage occurred at the Soldier Readiness Center where soldiers are examined by medics. Army officials said ten of the fatalities were soldiers, and one a contract police officer. Cone said the shooter used two handguns.

Fort Hood, the largest U.S. Army installation, reopened Thursday night after being locked down for over five hours.

Two other suspects in the shooting were detained but later released, officials at the base earlier said.