Seventeen years after the 2009 Fort Hood massacre, the shooter is finally facing justice, but the method of his departure is sparking major debate. Nidal Hasan, 56, is set to be executed by firing squad on Dec. 3, 2026. While the act itself has support, the government's plan to livestream it has people feeling some type of way—including Julia Wilson, who survived the attack while nine months pregnant.
The survivor’s perspective
Wilson, then a Defense Department civilian employee, recalls the day Hasan opened fire at a soldier readiness center as a total nightmare. She narrowly escaped the violence, but the trauma has been constant. Real talk: she wants to see Hasan face the consequences and even hopes to look him in the eye to show him she survived. "You did what you did. Too bad we can't kill you 13 times over," Wilson told Fox News Digital.
The livestream debate
Despite wanting justice, Wilson is lowkey shocked that the military plans to broadcast the event. She worries about the exposure of such extreme violence, especially to children who don't need to witness that kind of trauma. Her concerns are shared by lawmakers like Sen. Thom Tillis, who called the idea of a public execution "beyond disgusting" and compared it to methods used by oppressive regimes. While Secretary of War Pete Hegseth originally announced the stream, President Trump recently noted he would make the final call on the broadcast, and Vice President J.D. Vance expressed his own hesitation.
Why it matters
Beyond the execution, Wilson is pushing for the federal government to officially reclassify the 2009 shooting as domestic terrorism. For 17 years, the incident has been labeled as "workplace violence," a move she claims has betrayed the victims and their families. She argues that true healing can only begin once the government acknowledges the reality of the attack.
