US President Donald Trump has approved the death by firing squad of Nidal Malik Hasan, a former army officer convicted of carrying out a 2009 mass shooting at Fort Hood, Texas. The execution, if it proceeds, will mark the first military firing squad since 1961.
Hasan, a psychiatrist in the army, opened fire on 13 unarmed soldiers at the base in November 2009, killing 13 and wounding 32. He admitted to the attack during his 2013 trial, stating he was trying to stop deployments to Afghanistan and protect Muslims. The military death penalty was reinstated in 2023 after a Supreme Court review.
The execution requires presidential approval and appellate review. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recommended the firing squad method, which the military has not used since World War Two. The Army Secretary will set the time and place of the execution, with Trump holding the final authority over the method.
The military execution differs from state-level executions, with the US military still allowing capital punishment. The death penalty remains a contentious issue, with Trump reinstating it through an executive order in 2025. The case highlights ongoing debates over military justice and the use of the death penalty in the armed forces.