Key facts
- Nidal Hasan, convicted of killing 13 soldiers at Fort Hood in 2009, is scheduled for execution by firing squad.
- The US military plans to livestream the execution, a decision approved by President Donald Trump.
- Alonzo Lunsford, a survivor of the attack, supports the firing squad method but opposes public livestreaming for entertainment.
- This would be the first military execution in the US in over 60 years.
- Hasan's execution is scheduled for December 3 at Fort Hood, Texas.
The US military plans to livestream the execution of Nidal Hasan, a former Army psychiatrist convicted of fatally shooting 13 unarmed soldiers and wounding 32 others at Fort Hood in 2009. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the decision, stating the public execution by firing squad is intended to demonstrate the serious consequences of such crimes.
Alonzo Lunsford, a former US Army sergeant who survived the attack, expressed support for the firing squad method as befitting Hasan, but voiced concerns about livestreaming the event for public viewing, calling it "not something you should view for entertainment purposes." Lunsford, who was shot seven times, stated that while he has forgiven Hasan as a Christian, he wants the gunman to see him in his eyes before the execution.
Hasan's execution is scheduled for December 3 at Fort Hood, Texas, and would be the first military execution in the US in over 60 years. President Donald Trump has approved the execution. Legal experts have indicated that the livestreaming aspect could face legal challenges.
Some politicians have also spoken out against the plan. Democratic Senator Chris Murphy described the idea as "disgusting," while Republican Senator Thom Tillis equated public executions with the actions of "oppressive dictators."