The U.S. Army has scheduled its first military execution by firing squad in more than 80 years. Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan will be executed on Dec. 3 at Fort Hood, Texas. The Army confirmed the date after a lengthy legal review.
Hasan, a former Army psychiatrist, carried out a mass shooting at Fort Hood in 2009. He killed 13 people and wounded 32 others at the military base. The attack remains one of the deadliest shootings on a U.S. military installation.
A military court convicted Hasan in 2013 and sentenced him to death. His case moved through years of mandatory appeals. The approval of his execution date signals the end of that process.
The firing squad method requires five soldiers to aim at the condemned person’s heart. Four rifles carry live rounds, while one contains a blank. This design allows uncertainty about who fired the lethal shot.
Fort Hood, now known as Fort Cavazos, will host the execution. The base has changed its name since the 2009 shooting. Security measures for the event have not been disclosed.
Military executions differ from civilian ones in several ways. They fall under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The president must personally approve the death sentence of a service member.
The last U.S. military execution occurred in 1961, when Army Pvt. John Bennett was hanged for rape and attempted murder. No federal execution by firing squad has taken place since 1945. Utah carried out the most recent firing squad execution in the United States in 2010.
Some death penalty opponents have criticized the decision. They point to Hasan’s mental health history and the long delay. Supporters say the sentence fits the severity of the crime.
