Public Execution of Fort Hood Shooter to Be Livestreamed, Says Pete Hegseth

<p>Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated on Thursday that the public will be able to watch the execution of Nidal Hasan, the Fort Hood shooter, by firing squad. </p><p><strong>Background: </strong>The U.S. has not conducted a public execution in 90 years, raising questions about the military's approach to allowing public viewing.</p><hr /><ul><li>Nidal Hasan was convicted of killing 13 people in the 2009 shooting and is scheduled to be executed by firing squad on December 3 at Fort Hood, near Killeen, Texas.</li></ul><p><strong>Statements: </strong>Hegseth told Real America's Voice that Hasan is "gonna get a firing squad of soldiers. As it should be." He added, "We'll make sure that people are able to watch it. That it's public. Because people need to understand that there's serious consequences for these types of things." </p><ul><li>The Pentagon has confirmed that the execution will be livestreamed but has not specified where the stream will be hosted.</li></ul><p>The Pentagon currently shares speeches and videos on platforms such as X and YouTube.</p><ul><li>The Department of Defense did not comment on Hegseth's remarks, leaving unclear how the public will be able to watch the execution.</li><li>The Army has not disclosed how it plans to conduct the execution, and it remains uncertain whether the execution will be open to public spectators, broadcast on streaming or TV, or made available to select individuals.</li></ul><p><strong>Historical Context: </strong>This execution would mark the first U.S. military execution since 1961. The last military execution by firing squad occurred in 1945 when Pvt. Eddie Slovik was executed for desertion in France.</p><ul><li>Firing-squad executions are rare in the U.S., with only Idaho, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Utah authorizing this method, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.</li><li>Last year, South Carolina carried out its first firing squad execution in 15 years.</li><li>The last public execution in the U.S. took place in 1936, when Rainey Bethea was hanged in Kentucky.</li></ul>