Who is Nidal Hasan?
Nidal Hasan is a former U.S. Army major and psychiatrist who killed 13 people and wounded more than 30 in the 2009 Fort Hood shooting. He is set to be executed by firing squad on December 3, 2026.
The 2009 Fort Hood shooting
On November 5, 2009, Hasan opened fire inside the Soldier Readiness Processing Center at Fort Hood, Texas. Twelve soldiers and one civilian were killed, and more than 30 people were wounded. Police officers responding to the attack shot Hasan, ending it. He has used a wheelchair since.
The trial
Hasan was tried by court-martial at Fort Hood in 2013 and acted as his own attorney. He called no witnesses and did not testify. On August 23, 2013, a military jury convicted him of 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder. The same jury sentenced him to death.
The road to execution
Hasan's appeals were exhausted in 2025. Military death sentences need the President's approval, and President Trump approved the sentence on October 2, 2026. The Pentagon announced the decision on October 5, with a firing squad as the method. On October 7, the Army set the execution for December 3, 2026 at 1:00 PM at Fort Hood.
It will be the first execution carried out by the U.S. military since 1961.