Fort Hood Attacker's Execution to Be Publicly Livestreamed

The execution of Nidal Hasan, the former U.S. Army major convicted of the 2009 Fort Hood massacre, will be publicly livestreamed, according to a U.S. Defense Department official.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated on Thursday that "people need to understand that there's serious consequences for these types of things" and confirmed the execution would be viewable. He also indicated that Hasan would be executed by firing squad, a method he described as "as it should be."

The Pentagon announced earlier this week that Hasan's execution, scheduled for December 3 at Fort Hood, Texas, would be the first military execution in more than 60 years. The recommendation for the execution and its livestreaming was made by Hegseth and approved by President Donald Trump, a Pentagon spokesperson confirmed.

Hasan, a U.S. Army psychiatrist, confessed in court to being the gunman in the November 5, 2009, attack, which resulted in the deaths of 13 unarmed soldiers and injured more than two dozen others. During his 2013 court-martial, he apologized for any "mistakes" and stated he believed he was acting to protect Muslims and the Taliban in Afghanistan. The massacre remains the deadliest non-combat attack on an American military base.

The killings occurred in a crowded medical building where soldiers were preparing for deployment and undergoing medical check-ups and vaccinations. The White House has been contacted for comment on President Trump's stance regarding a public execution broadcast.