Fort Hood shooter drew renewed attention after former President Donald Trump said the Fort Hood shooter can be executed by firing squad. The comment highlighted how rarely the U.S. military has used that method.
Military executions and the Fort Hood shooter
The last time the U.S. military carried out an execution was in 1961, by hanging, according to historical records. The most recent military execution by firing squad occurred in 1945, when an American soldier was shot for desertion during World War II.
Trump’s remark underscored that while military law allows for capital punishment in certain cases, executions within the armed forces have been exceedingly uncommon for decades.
