A former US Army sergeant who survived the Fort Hood massacre has backed the decision to execute gunman Nidal Hasan by firing squad, but raised concerns over plans to livestream the killing.
Alonzo Lunsford, who was shot seven times during the 2009 attack, told the BBC he believed the ‘method is befitting’ for Hasan, arguing that alternative methods such as lethal injection would be ‘doing him a favor.’
Hasan, an Army psychiatrist, murdered 12 unarmed US soldiers and one civilian when he opened fire inside a medical building at Fort Hood, Texas, in November 2009.
Despite supporting the use of a firing squad, Lunsford insisted the execution should not be broadcast for public amusement, warning it was ‘not something you should view for entertainment purposes.’
Speaking to BBC Radio 4 Friday, he said he opposed showing the execution in full and without censorship to the general public.
‘To show the whole thing without it being censored for the general public, for me personally, I don’t agree with that, but it’s not about my personal belief,’ he said.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has confirmed that the public will be able to watch the execution via livestream, arguing that Americans should witness the consequences of such a horrific crime.
However, the unprecedented move may never come to pass, with legal experts telling the outlet that the execution could ultimately be blocked.