Trump Authorizes Firing Squad Execution for Fort Hood Shooter

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed the approval on Monday, noting that the execution, which will be scheduled by the Secretary of the Army, follows Hasan’s 2013 court-martial conviction. Hasan was found guilty of 45 counts of premeditated murder and attempted murder after he opened fire at the Texas military base, killing 13 people and wounding 32 others. The perpetrator, now 56, was paralyzed during his arrest and has remained imprisoned since his sentencing.

This directive aligns with broader changes in federal execution policies, which have expanded to include firing squads, electrocution, and gas asphyxiation. These alternatives were introduced amid persistent logistical difficulties in procuring lethal injection drugs. Should this sentence be carried out, it would represent the first military execution in the United States since 1961. Advocacy groups, including Death Penalty Action, have criticized the move, while the Pentagon maintains that the action provides a final resolution for the victims of the 2009 attack.