FORT HOOD, TEXAS / RankWire.AI / – The U.S. Army has scheduled December 3, 2026, as the day to carry out the execution of former Major Nidal Malik Hasan. The execution by firing squad is set to take place at 1 p.m. Central Time on the grounds of Fort Hood. Acting Army Secretary Adam Telle verified the specifics of the date, location, and method in an official memo. Hasan was sentenced to death for the 2009 shooting at Fort Hood, which resulted in 13 fatalities and 32 injuries at the Texas military base.
President Donald Trump approved Hasan’s execution by firing squad following a recommendation from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Under military law, a presidential decision is necessary before the armed forces can implement a death sentence. This upcoming execution will mark the end of a 65-year period without military executions in the United States, the last one having taken place in 1961 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. The Army hanged Private John Bennett after he was convicted of rape and attempted murder under military jurisdiction.
At the time of the attack on November 5, 2009, Hasan was serving as an Army psychiatrist. The incident occurred inside the Soldier Readiness Processing Center, where service members prepare for deployment. The assault resulted in the deaths of twelve active-duty personnel and one retired soldier. In 2013, a military panel found Hasan guilty on 13 counts of murder and 32 counts of attempted murder. The court-martial also ordered his dismissal from service along with the forfeiture of his military pay and allowances.
Legal battles spanning over a decade lead to the execution order
Hasan spent more than ten years pursuing appeals through military courts. In March 2024, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces upheld both his convictions and his death sentence. He then filed for review with the U.S. Supreme Court, which refused his petition on March 31, 2025. This decision confirmed the military court’s ruling and ended his prospects for further appeal to the highest court of the land.
The Army will execute Hasan at Fort Hood, the same location where the massacre occurred. During the attack, police officers shot Hasan, leaving him partially paralyzed; he has since relied on a wheelchair. During his court-martial, Hasan admitted to the shooting, stating that his motive was to prevent U.S. troops from deploying to Afghanistan and fighting Muslims. His confession was recorded officially in the court proceedings.
The firing squad decision underscores a rare military legal precedent
Since April 13, 1961, the U.S. military has not carried out an execution. The process for military death sentences involves multiple mandatory review stages before an execution can occur. Hasan’s case progressed through these appellate levels, leading to President Trump’s approval of the firing squad method. Now, after extensive legal scrutiny, the Army has officially scheduled the execution, which will be the first military firing squad in decades.
Hasan’s execution remains set for December 3 at 1 p.m. Central Time at Fort Hood. The Army has finalized the details regarding the method, location, and timing of the sentence, which originated from the 2009 Fort Hood shooting and spanned years of military appeals. The Supreme Court declined to review his case further in 2025, making this the first U.S. military execution in over sixty years, marking a historic moment in military justice history.