Fort Hood survivor backs firing‑squad execution, voices livestream fears

Former Army sergeant Alonzo Lunsford, who survived the 2009 Fort Hood mass shooting, said he supports the decision to execute former psychiatrist Nidal Hasan by firing squad, but has concerns about the execution being livestreamed for public viewing.

Lunsford recounted how, after being shot seven times and evading the attacker at a medical facility, he managed to escape by pretending to be dead, then helped other soldiers flee the scene.

He added that while the method of execution is “befitting” for Hasan—arguing that lethal injection would actually be a favour to the perpetrator—he questions whether a livestream would be appropriate for younger viewers and could send the wrong message.

Lunsford said the primary audience for the livestream should be survivors, families of the victims and the wider public who want to see consequences of such crimes, but he does not see it as entertainment.

Despite his harsh stance on the killer, Lunsford, a Christian, says he forgave Hasan, believing that the last breath is a chance for asking forgiveness, and finds comfort in the idea of reconciliation from a theological perspective.

Legal experts warn that livestreaming a firing‑squad execution could face challenges in court, and politicians are divided: some condemn it as a form of public spectacle, while others argue it underlines a deterrent effect.