Fort Hood shooter to face US military firing squad execution
The Pentagon announces a former US Army major will face execution by firing squad, marking a first for the US military in over 60 years.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- The Pentagon approves the execution of Nidal Hasan by firing squad
- Hasan fatally shot 13 unarmed soldiers at Fort Hood in 2009
- This marks the first military firing squad execution since World War Two
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recommended and President Donald Trump approved it
The Pentagon has officially announced that a former US Army officer will be executed by firing squad, marking the first military execution of its kind in more than six decades.
The tragic shooting occurred on November 5, 2009, when Nidal Hasan, a former US Army psychiatrist, opened fire on unarmed personnel at Fort Hood in Texas. The attack claimed the lives of 13 soldiers and left another 32 individuals injured, making it the deadliest non-combat attack on an American military base in history.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell announced via social media on Monday that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth put forward the recommendation, which subsequently received approval from President Donald Trump. The secretary of the US Army will determine the exact time and location for the procedure.
"Judgement day for Hasan has finally come,"
Sean Parnell, Pentagon Spokesperson
During his 2013 court-martial, Hasan admitted in court to being the gunman and offered apologies for his actions, claiming at the time that he sought to protect Muslims and the Taliban in Afghanistan. He currently remains one of only four inmates situated on the US military's death row.
Analysis and Context: Military executions by firing squad are exceptionally rare, having not occurred since the conclusion of World War Two. Capital punishment remains a legally available option across 27 US states, the federal government, and the military. This decisive move highlights the strict stance of the administration under President Donald Trump regarding severe violent crimes against American personnel.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Under military law, executing a death sentence requires direct approval from the US president, alongside rigorous appellate review to establish full legal validity. The US Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces previously ruled the military death penalty unconstitutional in 1983, though it was reinstated the following year through an executive order issued under President Ronald Reagan.
Source: BBC World
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