Trump approves death by firing squad for convicted Ft. Hood shooter

(The Hill) – Nidal Malik Hasan, a convicted terrorist who opened fire on unarmed American soldiers at Ft. Hood in 2009, has been sentenced to death by firing squad, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell announced Monday on the social platform X.

Parnell said that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth “recommended” it, and President Trump “approved” it. Hasan killed 13 people and wounded 32 others while shouting “Allahu Akbar” during the attack.

Hasan represented himself during his 2013 trial, and said in his opening statement “the evidence will clearly show that I am the shooter.”

He added later that it would show “that we are imperfect Muslims trying to establish the perfect religion … I apologize for any mistakes I made in this endeavor.”

At least 144 civilian prisoners have been executed by shooting since 1608, according to the Associated Press.

The most recent was Brad Sigmon last year. The 67-year-old was convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend’s parents in 2001 and sentenced to death in 2002. He chose the method over the electric chair and lethal injection, the other two death penalty methods in South Carolina.

Prior to Sigmon, death by firing squad had not been used for 15 years.

“The Secretary of the Army will set the time and place of the execution. Judgement day for Hasan has finally come,” Parnell said.