US military to livestream firing squad execution of Fort Hood shooter

The United States military will broadcast the execution of Nidal Hasan, the former Army psychiatrist who carried out the 2009 Fort Hood shooting, on December 3rd. Hasan, who killed 13 people and injured 32 others, is set to be executed by a firing squad at the base. This will be the first military execution in over 60 years, as no such execution has been carried out since 1945, according to Reuters.

Pentagon officials have confirmed the execution will be live-streamed publicly, as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has pushed for this decision. Hegseth described the attack as an act of a radical Islamist in uniform and stated that the public should understand the serious consequences. The execution has been scheduled for Thursday at 1 pm, as it coincides with the time, day, and location of the 2009 incident.

Nidal Hasan, a 56-year-old major, was found guilty of 45 counts of murder and attempted murder after opening fire in a Fort Hood medical building on November 5, 2009. He used a laser-sighted handgun and has been in a wheelchair since being shot by police during his arrest. Hasan had corresponded via email with cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, who was later killed in a US drone strike.

While Hasan claimed his actions were aimed at preventing US soldiers from going to Afghanistan to fight Muslims, his defense was rejected by the judge. The White House has not commented on President Trump's stance on the livestream, but the Pentagon has confirmed it will indeed be broadcast.