Execution by Firing Squad: Reintroduction and Implications

President Donald Trump has ordered the execution of Nidal Hasan, the former U.S. Army psychiatrist responsible for the 2009 Fort Hood shooting that killed 13 unarmed soldiers. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell announced on social media that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth suggested the use of a firing squad, and the President approved this method. This marks a historic decision, as Hasan will be the first U.S. soldier executed in over 60 years.

The revival of methods like firing squads, electrocution, and gas asphyxiation reflects a broader trend. Concerns about the effectiveness and ethics of lethal injections have fueled interest in alternate execution methods.

What Does Execution by Firing Squad Mean?

The firing squad is one of the five traditional methods employed in the U.S. for carrying out the death penalty. Others include lethal injection, electrocution, gas, and hanging. Since 1977, the firing squad has been used only six times. While rare, this method was reintroduced as an option for federal crimes by Trump last year.

Lethal injection remains the most common method since the reinstatement of the death penalty in 1976, followed by electrocution. Hanging is currently illegal in all U.S. states.

Which States Allow Execution by Firing Squad?

Military executions require an appellate review, a legal judgment, and the President’s approval. Most executions occur at the state level, where capital punishment is still legal in 27 states including Texas, Florida, and Missouri, among others.

In some states like California and Ohio, governor-imposed moratoriums have halted executions. Meanwhile, 23 states and Washington, D.C., have abolished capital punishment altogether.

Firing squad executions are legally sanctioned in Idaho, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Utah. Typically, inmates may choose their method of execution. As of 2026, Idaho will list the firing squad as its primary execution method.

In Tennessee, a particular case led House Speaker Cameron Sexton to propose considering firing squads after an inmate survived a failed lethal injection.

How Does Execution by Firing Squad Work?

Execution by firing squad involves a group of trained volunteers, often from state corrections or law enforcement. They shoot simultaneously at a restrained inmate, targeting the heart. This method seeks to prevent any single shooter from knowing who fired the fatal shot.

In South Carolina, for example, inmates are placed on a metal chair positioned over a catch basin. Bullets are designed to cause maximum damage to the heart. The process includes either three or five shooters depending on the state.

When Was the Last Firing Squad Execution?

Firing squad executions, once rare, have reemerged. From March to November, South Carolina executed three individuals this way. These included Brad Keith Sigmon, Mikal Mahdi, and Stephen Corey Bryant. They opted for the firing squad under a law passed in 2021, which offers options between firing squad, electric chair, or lethal injection.

Controversy arose from Mahdi’s execution when an autopsy suggested he suffered due to inaccurate shots. Nonetheless, all methods were deemed legal by the state’s Supreme Court.

When Will Hasan Be Executed?

Nidal Hasan became radicalized following his mother’s death and killed 13 soldiers at Fort Hood in 2009. The Secretary of the Army will determine the timing and location of his execution. Pentagon spokesperson Parnell noted that justice for Hasan is imminent. Hasan remains on military death row with three others.