What Happened to Nidal Malik Hasan?

Nidal Malik Hasan, born September 8, 1970, was a U.S. Army major and psychiatrist when he carried out the deadliest mass shooting on an American military base on November 5, 2009. The attack occurred at the Soldier Readiness Processing Center at Fort Hood, Texas, where Hasan opened fire on unarmed soldiers and civilians, killing 13 people, including a pregnant soldier, and injuring 32 others. Witnesses reported hearing Hasan shout 'Allahu Akbar' (Arabic for 'God is great') during the approximately 10-minute rampage. Hasan was shot and paralyzed from the waist down by civilian police officers during the incident.

Hasan's motive was rooted in extremist ideology, as he described his actions as retaliation for U.S. military violence against Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan, claiming he had 'switched sides' in a 'war on Islam.' Concerns about Hasan's behavior and 'anti-American' comments had been raised by colleagues during his medical residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center prior to the shooting, but he continued to be promoted. He was scheduled for deployment to Afghanistan just weeks before the attack.

In August 2013, Hasan represented himself during his court-martial, admitting to the shootings. A military jury convicted him of 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder, unanimously recommending the death penalty. He was subsequently transferred to the United States Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, where he has remained on death row.

The military appeals process for Hasan's death sentence concluded on March 31, 2025, when the United States Supreme Court denied his final petition for a writ of certiorari, thereby confirming his death sentence. On October 2, 2026, President Donald Trump approved the execution order, following a recommendation from Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who had expressed a commitment to ensuring Hasan's execution. The acting Secretary of the Army, Adam Telle, then set the execution date for December 3, 2026, at 1 p.m. CST, to be carried out by firing squad at Fort Hood, Texas.

This scheduled execution would be the first by the U.S. military since 1961 and the first by firing squad since World War II. However, legal experts note that Hasan is constitutionally entitled to pursue further appellate review in civilian federal courts through a habeas corpus petition, which could potentially delay the execution indefinitely. As of October 8, 2026, Hasan's legal team has not yet filed such an appeal, but the possibility remains, making the ultimate timing of his execution uncertain.