Execution Date Set for Fort Hood Shooter Nidal Hasan

An execution date has been set for former Army Maj. Nidal Hasan, responsible for the 2009 Fort Hood shooting. Hasan will face execution on December 3, 2026, at the same location where the attack occurred. The execution will be carried out by firing squad, marking the first military execution since 1961.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed that the decision for a military firing squad was endorsed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and approved by President Trump. Parnell stated, ‘Judgment day for Hasan has finally come.’

In 2009, Hasan killed 13 people and injured 32 others at Fort Hood. Many victims were unarmed soldiers preparing for deployment. During the attack, Hasan fired 146 rounds. Later, law enforcement returned fire, resulting in his paralysis from the chest down.

Previously, the last military execution occurred 65 years ago when Pvt. John Bennett was executed by hanging. The last firing squad execution was during World War II for Pvt. Eddie Slovik, who faced charges of desertion.

Hasan, now 56, held the position of Army psychiatrist at the time and had 20 years of service. Witnesses reported him shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ before the shooting began. Since his conviction, Hasan remains on death row at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas.

Why a Firing Squad?

Army regulation 190-55 outlines that military executions require presidential approval. A revision in 2019 removed ‘lethal injection’ from the list of methods, allowing specific designation by the Secretary of the Army. The provost marshal general recommends the method to the secretary, and the prisoner learns of the decision from their commandant, who is accompanied by a chaplain and possibly a defense attorney.

The Victims

Families of those killed in the attack have been notified about the execution plan. Survivor families have been offered the opportunity to attend the execution. The community, tied by shared tragedy, views this as the closing chapter of their ordeal.

Those who lost their lives include:

• Lt. Col. Juanita Warman, 55
• Maj. Libardo Eduardo Caraveo, 52
• Capt. John P. Gaffaney, 56
• Capt. Russell Seager, 51
• Staff Sgt. Justin DeCrow, 32
• Sgt. Amy Krueger, 29
• Spc. Jason Dean Hunt, 22
• Spc. Frederick Z. Greene, 29
• Pfc. Aaron T Nemelka, 19
• Pfc. Michael S. Pearson, 22
• Pfc. Kham S. Xiong, 23
• Pvt. Francheska Velez, 21 (and her unborn child)
• Michael Grant Cahill, 62

This story is still developing. Future updates will provide more details as they arise.