Firing Squad Execution Decision for Nidal Hasan

President Donald Trump has ordered the execution of Nidal Hasan, the former U.S. Army psychiatrist who killed 13 unarmed soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas, in 2009. He will be executed by firing squad, as suggested by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and later approved by the president.

Hasan, sentenced to death in 2013, is set to be the first U.S. soldier executed in over 60 years. The use of firing squads, electrocution, and gas asphyxiation has been reintroduced as alternative methods for capital punishment by the Trump administration, as concerns over lethal injections rise.

What Is Execution by Firing Squad?

A firing squad is one of the five execution methods used historically in the U.S., alongside lethal injection, electrocution, hanging, and gas. Since 1977, the firing squad has been employed only six times. Trump has added it back as a permissible execution method, but it remains uncommon.

Lethal injection remains the most widely used method since 1976, followed closely by electrocution. Hanging is currently illegal in all states.

Which States Allow Execution by Firing Squad?

Military executions require a final judgment and presidential approval under military law, while non-military executions occur at the state level where legal. Of the 27 states with capital punishment, only five—Idaho, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Utah—permit firing squads. Idaho will make firing squads its primary execution method starting July 1, 2026.

Tennessee inmate Christa Pike requested execution by firing squad after surviving lethal injection, but Tennessee only authorizes lethal injection and electrocution. The state’s House Speaker, Cameron Sexton, has asked for the firing squad to be considered.

How Does Execution by Firing Squad Work?

The firing squad involves trained volunteers from corrections, law enforcement, or the military, who all shoot the condemned inmate simultaneously, aiming for the heart. South Carolina uses a squad of three volunteers, Utah uses five certified officers.

In South Carolina, prisoners are secured to a metal chair on a catch basin about 15 feet from the shooters, who use bullets designed for maximum heart damage. Multiple shooters ensure no one knows who delivered the lethal shot.

Recent Firing Squad Executions

Recently, South Carolina carried out three firing squad executions between March and November, involving Brad Keith Sigmon, Mikal Mahdi, and Stephen Corey Bryant. Sigmon’s execution was the country’s first firing squad since Ronnie Lee Gardner in 2010.

South Carolina law allows inmates to choose between firing squad, electric chair, or lethal injection. In 2024, the state’s Supreme Court ruled that firing squads are not cruel, with death not exceeding 15 seconds. Mahdi’s execution raised concerns about humane execution, as he allegedly suffered before dying from heart misses.

Execution of Hasan

Hasan, originally from Virginia, became radicalized after his mother’s death, ultimately leading to the 2009 attack. He killed 13 soldiers and injured 32 more at Fort Hood, an infamous lone-actor terrorist incident.

The execution time and place are to be set by the Secretary of the Army. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell stated, “Judgement day for Hasan has finally come.” Hasan is among three inmates on U.S. military death row.