US Military to Execute Fort Hood Shooter by Firing Squad

Nidal Malik Hasan will be executed by firing squad for the November 2009 shooting rampage at Fort Hood in Texas, a military tribunal determined. The execution will mark the first time the U.S. military has carried out a firing squad execution since World War Two.

Hasan opened fire on unarmed soldiers at the sprawling Texas base, killing 13 personnel and wounding 32 others. The attack remains the deadliest non-combat incident ever recorded at an American military facility. Hasan, a former Army psychiatrist, survived the initial incident and was subsequently apprehended.

The case drew international attention and reignited debates over security protocols at military installations and the screening of military personnel with access to sensitive areas. Investigators examined Hasan's background and communications leading up to the attack.

The military death penalty has been rarely invoked in recent decades. Capital cases within the armed forces require extensive legal review and approval from senior military and civilian officials before execution can proceed. The decision to pursue capital punishment in Hasan's case underscored the severity of the charges and the gravity of the offenses.