US sets date for public execution of Nidal Hasan over Fort Hood shooting

Official announcement of sentence execution

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the execution of Nidal Hasan will take place on 3 December 2026. The event will be public.

Hasan, who previously served as a major and military psychiatrist, was sentenced by a military tribunal to the harshest punishment for the murders of his colleagues.

Details of the tragic 2009 incident

The crime occurred on 5 November 2009 at Fort Hood base in Texas state. Hasan opened fire with pistols on servicemembers who were at a pre-deployment training centre. During the attack, the perpetrator shouted "Allahu akbar!" (God is greatest).

Thirteen people died as a result of the attack, including a pregnant servicewoman. Another 32 people were injured.

Hasan was seriously wounded during the shooting. He subsequently became paralysed from the waist down.

Trial and motives

During the court hearings, the defendant fully pleaded guilty. He explained his actions by ideological and religious motives, claiming he sought to protect the Taliban and Muslims from the actions of the US armed forces.

In August 2013, the military tribunal handed down a verdict and sentenced Hasan to death. The method of execution is shooting.