Fort Hood survivor supports gunman's execution by firing squad but questions livestream

What the report says

BBC World News reports that Alonzo Lunsford, a survivor of the 2009 Fort Hood mass shooting, says he supports the planned firing-squad execution of Nidal Hasan, but has reservations about the Pentagon’s decision to livestream it. Lunsford, who says he was shot seven times during the attack, told the BBC that the firing squad is a fitting punishment, while arguing that more familiar execution methods would be too lenient on Hasan.

The case stems from Hasan’s killing of 13 unarmed US soldiers in a medical building at Fort Hood, Texas. According to the BBC, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has said the public should be able to watch the execution to see the consequences of such a crime. The report notes that, if carried out, it would be the first public US execution in nearly a century and the first military execution in more than 60 years, although legal experts told the broadcaster the plan could face court challenges.

Lunsford said he does not think the event should be shown as entertainment, especially to younger viewers, but believes survivors and victims’ families should have the option to witness it. He also said he plans to attend in person and wants Hasan to see him before the execution. In the interview, Lunsford described the attack and said he has forgiven Hasan as a Christian, while still rejecting any sympathy for the gunman.