Doctors have warned that watching the livestreamed firing squad execution of Nidal Hasan later this year could cause PTSD in viewers. Hasan, the former army psychiatrist who killed 13 people at Fort Hood in 2009, is scheduled to be executed on December 3, US defence secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed on October 9.
Officials Confirm Livestream
Officials later confirmed the execution would be livestreamed, a practice not seen in the US in nearly a century. Hegseth said: “It was a radical Islamist attack in uniform inside the ranks, and so he’s going to get a firing squad of soldiers, as it should be. We’ll make sure that people are able to watch it, that it’s public, because people need to understand there’s serious consequences for these types of things.”
Experts Warn of Trauma
Experts have commented on the decision to broadcast the killing, noting it could make for traumatic viewing. Forensic psychologist at the University of Nottingham Dr Simon Duff said studies examining journalists’ experiences of witnessing such violence suggested evidence of trauma response.
“Certainly if people are not resilient they probably shouldn’t [watch], but if they have some underlying psychological driver towards viewing an execution they will likely do so regardless of the potential for harm,” Duff told the Guardian.
Botched Executions Raise Concerns
“Recent events suggest that executions do not always go to plan,” he added, referring to the recent botched execution of Christa Pike. “That possibility needs to be acknowledged, and the likelihood that this would increase the trauma for viewers.”
When asked if Hasan had made any final requests or contacted the Trump administration, Hegseth responded: “Don't care. We'll see him on December 3rd.”
Further Details Pending
Further details regarding the execution livestream are set to be released. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell stated on Monday that President Donald Trump had authorised Hasan's execution, but did not mention if he had approved the televised aspect.
Retired Staff Sgt Alonzo Lunsford told America's Newsroom he will be observing the execution of the officer who fired at him 15 years ago. Lunsford said: “You live by the sword, you die by the sword. And the way that he went about doing his deed was a coward's way because we didn't have any way to defend ourselves that day.”
In 2009, Hasan gunned down 13 US soldiers at Fort Hood and injured more than 30 others.
