US Military Execution of Fort Hood Shooter Nidal Hasan to Be Livestreamed, Defense Department Says

The execution of former US Army Major Nidal Hasan, who shot and killed 13 unarmed military personnel at Fort Hood in 2009, will be broadcast via a public livestream, according to Defense Department officials. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the decision, which represents the first planned military execution by firing squad in the United States since World War Two.

Hasan, a former military psychiatrist from Virginia, admitted to the fatal 2009 attack inside a crowded medical building. During his 2013 court-martial, he stated that he carried out the shooting in an effort to protect Muslims and the Taliban in Afghanistan. His execution is scheduled to take place on December 3 at Fort Hood, Texas, following approval from President Donald Trump upon the defense secretary's recommendation.

Unprecedented Broadcast Plans and Legal Challenges

Legal experts note that livestreaming the event would mark the first public execution in the US in almost a century. Defense attorney John Mills characterized the decision as being on uncertain legal ground and unprecedented in the modern era. Mills added that Hasan's legal appellate process remains incomplete, noting that an expected application for review in federal court would likely stay the scheduled December execution. Under US military law, an execution requires presidental authorization, mandatory appellate reviews, and a final legal determination to proceed.

Fordham University law professor Deborah Denno pointed out that a public broadcast would force unprecedented transparency regarding capital punishment in the United States, though she noted operational questions remain regarding age restrictions and online hosting platform policies. While state laws frequently require journalists or designated citizen volunteers to witness executions, a public livestream has never been conducted in the country.

Political Reactions and Survivor Statements

The broadcast proposal has generated sharp political disagreement. Democratic Senator Chris Murphy publicly criticized the plan, calling the decision to stream the execution online disgusting. Defense Secretary Hegseth defended the choice during an interview with Real America's Voice, stating that severe consequences must be demonstrated for such actions and confirming Hasan would face a firing squad of soldiers.

Alonzo Lunsford, a retired US Army sergeant who survived being shot seven times during the 2009 attack, expressed support for the firing squad sentence. While Lunsford voiced concern over broadcasting the event to younger audiences, he stated that victims' families and survivors should be allowed to view an uncensored feed. Lunsford stated his intention to attend the execution in person.

Historical Military Context

The scheduled December 3 procedure marks a rare event in US military history. The last US military execution by firing squad occurred in January 1945, when Army deserter Eddie Slovik was executed during World War Two. The overall US military last carried out a death sentence in 1961, when an Army private was executed by hanging under authorization from President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Globally, public executions remain rare, with Amnesty International recording public executions in only Iran and Afghanistan during 2025.