TEMPLE, Texas — Gov. Rick Perry on Saturday visited the hospital where many who sustained the most serious injuries were taken after Thursday’s mass shooting at Fort Hood. He praised the patients for their bravery and for serving their country.

Meanwhile, medical staff at Scott & White Memorial Hospital in Temple said that the 10 patients admitted there were making progress.

Surrounded by reporters and hospital staff, Perry took a moment to reflect on this week’s tragedy, referring to the many heroic acts that have been described since the shootings.

"From the instant the perpetrator opened fire, the better element of human nature kicked in," he said.

But Thursday’s violence, in which Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan is believed to have killed 13 people and injured dozens more, is still fresh on the minds of those in Texas and beyond, he said.

"It’s been almost two days now since this tragic event occurred, and I don’t think anything has happened to dull any of our feelings emotionally about the incident," the governor said.

Dr. W. Roy Smythe of Scott & White said that of the 10 patients who were admitted to the Temple hospital, four have since gone home. The hospital hopes to send another patient home today, he said.

Of the five patients initially placed in surgical intensive care, only two remained in the ICU this morning, Smythe said. Both were in stable condition and had been taken off ventilators, he said.

When asked what outcome the patients might face, Smythe said some could be physically impaired for the rest of their lives.

Federal investigators are leading the inquiry into the shootings because they occurred on a government military base, Perry said. The Texas Rangers, as well as the Texas Department of Public Safety, are assisting.

The governor praised Kimberly Munley, the 34-year-old Fort Hood civilian officer credited with shooting Hasan four times and bringing an end to Thursday’s violence. Munley, who was shot in both legs and her wrist but is expected to recover, is "a classic public servant" who simply wants to do her job and carry on with her life, he said.

Perry also singled out Munley’s partner, Sgt. Mark Todd.

Perry was joined at the hospital by area state Reps. Sid Miller, R-Stephenville, and Ralph Sheffield, R-Temple.

Miller said the last few days represent some of the darkest hours in the history of Fort Hood and Killeen.

He called the shootings "an act of terrorism."

"As we sift through the details and gather the evidence of what happened," he said, "we will learn from it, and we will make sure that we have the tools necessary to prevent another incident like this from happening."