Nidal Hasan execution in Fort Hood to be livestreamed publicly, Hegseth says

FORT HOOD, Texas - Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was asked about the execution of Nidal Hasan, the Army psychiatrist who killed 13 people and wounded dozens more in 2009, for the first time, since the time and location were approved by the Acting Secretary of the Army. 

Hegseth on firing squad execution

What they're saying:

Hasan’s execution is scheduled for 1 p.m. Dec. 3 at Fort Hood, according to acting Army Secretary Adam Telle. 

Hegseth states soldiers will execute the convicted Fort Hood shooter via firing squad on Dec. 3 at the time of the Nov. 2009 attack.

An Army major betrays his country, radical Islamist, kills a bunch of Americans at Fort Hood. Of course, we're going to do it at Fort Hood and do it on a Thursday. We're going to go to 1 o'clock, which is when he did it," said Hegseth.

Hegseth said the execution will be carried out by soldiers using rifles, emphasizing that the military has not used a firing squad for an execution since World War II.

"I kind of like the mentality we had in World War II, which was, understand when the enemy attacks you, you need to stand your ground."

Firing squad execution to be livestreamed

Dig deeper:

Hegseth also said officials would make sure the execution is public, so people can see the consequences of Hasan’s actions.

"We’ll make sure that people are able to watch it, that it's public, because people need to understand that there are serious consequences for these types of things."

A White House reporter for the Associated Press confirmed with the Pentagon that the execution will be livestreamed in December.

Trump on Fort Hood execution

Big picture view:

President Donald Trump approved the firing squad execution after Hegseth recommended it. Trump discussed the execution on Wednesday night during a rally for Republican U.S. Senate nominee Ken Paxton in San Antonio.

"We also recently announced that we're going to deliver final justice to an evil killer, the Fort Hood shooter, Nidal Hassan," Trump said, referring to Hasan. "So he’s getting the death penalty by firing squad."

Trump also repeated his criticism of former President Barack Obama, saying the former president had received emails from Hasan that referenced jihad before the shooting and failed to act.

The 2009 Fort Hood Shooting

The backstory:

Hasan, a U.S.-born citizen of Palestinian descent, was sentenced to death in 2013 after being convicted in the Nov. 5, 2009, shooting at Fort Hood. He opened fire at a processing center where troops were preparing to deploy to Afghanistan.

Thirteen people were killed, and 32 others were left wounded. Hasan was shot and wounded by police before he was arrested.

Prosecutors said Hasan carried out the attack after becoming radicalized and opposing the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. During his trial, Hasan said he was trying to stop soldiers from deploying to Afghanistan.

What's next:

The U.S. military has not carried out an execution since 1961.

If carried out as scheduled, Hasan’s execution would be the first military execution in 65 years and the Army’s first execution of a soldier since World War II.