Pentagon announces execution of Fort Hood shooter by firing squad

The Pentagon has announced that former US Army major Nidal Malik Hasan will be executed by firing squad, marking the first military execution of this kind in over 60 years. Hasan was convicted of fatally shooting 13 unarmed US soldiers at Fort Hood in 2009 and injuring another 32. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell stated on social media that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth made the recommendation, which was approved by President Donald Trump. This execution will be the first by firing squad since World War Two. Hasan was found guilty of 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted murder by a jury of 13 officers, who unanimously recommended the death sentence. Parnell indicated that the Secretary of the Army will determine the time and place of the execution. Hasan, who was a psychiatrist in the Army, admitted during his court-martial in 2013 that he was the shooter and expressed remorse for any mistakes. He claimed in court that he believed he was protecting Muslims and the Taliban in Afghanistan. The attack on November 5, 2009, is noted as the deadliest non-combat attack on an American military base. Hasan is currently one of four inmates on the US military's death row. Military executions require presidential approval and must undergo appellate review to confirm their legality. The US Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces ruled the military death penalty unconstitutional in 1983, but it was reinstated in 1984 by an executive order from then-President Ronald Reagan. Unlike state-level executions, military executions follow different protocols. While the majority of executions in the US occur at the state level, with 27 states, the military, and the federal government retaining capital punishment, death by firing squad is rare. South Carolina conducted a firing squad execution last year, the first in the state and the first in the US in 15 years. Four other states permit firing squads: Idaho, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Utah. Trump has supported the federal death penalty, reinstating it through an executive order on his first day in office in January 2025, after a moratorium was issued by former President Joe Biden's administration. The executive order describes capital punishment as a necessary measure for deterring severe crimes against American citizens.