Nidal Hasan faces firing squad at Fort Hood in historic US military execution
The Pentagon says former US Army major Nidal Hasan is scheduled to be executed by firing squad at Fort Hood, Texas, on 3 December. If carried out, it will be the first US military execution in more than 60 years and the first by firing squad since the Second World War.
Hasan, an Army psychiatrist, killed 13 unarmed soldiers and wounded 32 others in a 2009 attack at the base. The article says the execution was recommended by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and approved by President Donald Trump; it must still pass appellate review and receive a final ruling on its legality. Hasan is one of four people on the US military’s death row.
- Hasan is scheduled to be executed at Fort Hood on 3 December.
- The planned firing squad would be the first US military execution since the Second World War.
- Legal review is still required before the execution can proceed.
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Nidal Hasan is a former US Army major and psychiatrist who carried out a mass shooting at Fort Hood military base in Texas in 2009. He killed 13 unarmed soldiers and wounded 32 others in the attack. Following a court-martial, he was convicted and sentenced to death.
An execution of Hasan would be historic for the United States military. It would be the first military execution in over 60 years and the first by firing squad since the Second World War, reflecting the rarity of capital punishment within the armed forces in the modern era.
Hasan is one of only four people currently on the US military's death row. The US military maintains its own separate justice system with capital punishment provisions, apart from civilian criminal courts.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The strongest case for proceeding is rooted in justice for victims. Hasan deliberately murdered 13 unarmed soldiers and wounded 32 others in a premeditated attack. After 17 years of legal proceedings, military courts have thoroughly examined the case and determined execution appropriate. For victims' families seeking accountability and closure, execution represents proportional justice for the gravest crime, whilst Hasan has expressed no remorse and reportedly welcomes execution as a means to martyrdom—suggesting only capital punishment adequately addresses the severity of his actions.
The case against
The strongest case against execution rests on principled opposition to capital punishment and practical concerns about its consequences. Many argue that the state should not deliberately take life, that irreversible execution is incompatible with modern justice standards, and that life imprisonment serves accountability and public protection. Additionally, executing Hasan risks fulfilling his apparent desire for martyrdom, whilst some victims' families have opposed execution, suggesting it does not serve all survivors' needs. The 60-year gap since the last military execution may reflect evolved standards against capital punishment, and proceeding risks establishing a problematic precedent.
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Originally published by BBC World as “Fort Hood shooter to be executed by firing squad – a first for US military since World War Two”.