A survivor of the 2009 Fort Hood mass shooting in the United States has backed plans to execute the gunman by firing squad but questioned the decision to livestream the process for public viewing.
Alonzo Lunsford, a former US Army sergeant who was shot seven times during the attack, told the BBC that he considered the proposed method appropriate for Nidal Hasan, the former army psychiatrist who killed 13 unarmed soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas, on November 5, 2009.
Lunsford argued that other execution methods, including lethal injection, would be too lenient. However, he expressed concern that broadcasting the execution could send the wrong message, particularly to younger audiences.
“I don’t agree with that, but it’s not about my personal belief,” he said, referring to the plan to show the execution uncensored.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has said the public would be able to watch a livestream, arguing that people should see the consequences of such crimes. If carried out as proposed, it would be the first public execution in the United States in nearly a century.
Lunsford said he intended to attend the execution in person, explaining that he wanted Hasan to see that he had survived the attack. He also said he had forgiven the gunman as part of his Christian faith, adding that forgiveness was necessary for his own healing.
Recounting the shooting, Lunsford said Hasan opened fire inside a medical facility where military personnel were not armed. He was shot multiple times while attempting to escape and later helped another wounded soldier get outside.
He also recalled the distressing moment a pregnant woman pleaded for her unborn child after being shot.
The Pentagon announced Hasan’s planned execution earlier this week. It would be the first US military execution in more than 60 years, although legal challenges could delay or prevent the livestream and potentially affect the execution process.
The proposal has drawn criticism from lawmakers across party lines. Democratic Senator Chris Murphy described it as “disgusting”, while Republican Senator Thom Tillis argued that public executions were associated with oppressive dictatorships.
