Fort Hood Shooter’s Planned Firing Squad Execution to Be Livestreamed, Pentagon Says

The Pentagon says the planned execution of former US Army major Nidal Hasan, who killed 13 people in the 2009 Fort Hood shooting, will be livestreamed so the public can witness the military punishment.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the decision was intended to demonstrate that serious crimes carry serious consequences.

A Defense Department official told the BBC that the execution would be livestreamed. The announcement follows confirmation earlier this week that Hasan is scheduled to be executed by firing squad on 3 December 2026 at Fort Hood, Texas.

If carried out as scheduled, it would be the first US military execution in more than 60 years and the first military firing-squad execution since the end of the Second World War, according to the report.

Hegseth Says Execution Should Be Public

Speaking to conservative broadcaster Real America's Voice, Hegseth said the public should be able to watch the execution.

He said people needed to understand that there were serious consequences for attacks of this nature.

Hegseth also confirmed that Hasan would face a firing squad made up of soldiers.

The BBC has contacted the White House for comment on whether President Donald Trump supports the decision to livestream the execution.

The Pentagon previously said Trump had approved the execution following a recommendation from Hegseth.

The 2009 Fort Hood Shooting

Hasan, an Army psychiatrist from Virginia, admitted in court that he was responsible for the shootings at Fort Hood on 5 November 2009.

The attack took place inside a crowded medical building where soldiers preparing for deployment were waiting for medical checks and vaccinations.

Thirteen people were killed and others were wounded in what became the deadliest non-combat attack on a US military installation.

During his 2013 court-martial, Hasan apologised for what he described as “any mistakes”. He also said he believed he was protecting Muslims and the Taliban in Afghanistan.

A Rare Military Execution

Military executions in the United States are exceptionally rare. Hasan's scheduled execution would mark a significant moment in the history of military justice.

The announcement has also drawn attention to the question of whether executions should be conducted privately or made available for public viewing.

Hegseth has framed the livestream as a way to demonstrate the consequences of serious crimes. The White House's position on the public broadcast had not been confirmed in the report.

What Happens Next?

Hasan's execution is currently scheduled for 3 December 2026 at Fort Hood.

The Pentagon's announcement indicates that the public may be able to watch the execution, although further details about how the livestream would operate have not been provided in the report.

The case remains a major and deeply sensitive chapter in the history of the US military, more than 17 years after the attack.

The planned execution places the focus not only on the punishment of the man responsible for the Fort Hood killings, but also on how the United States chooses to carry out and present military justice.