*Alonzo Lunsford has carried the scars of the 2009 Fort Hood shooting for more than 17 years. Shot seven times during the attack, he now plans to watch Nidal Hasan‘s livestreamed execution — and he intends to look his shooter in the eye when it happens.
For Lunsford, the December 3 execution by firing squad isn’t spectacle. It’s a chance to finally get closure after a nightmare that began when Hasan went on a shooting spree at the Texas military base, killing 13 people and wounding 32 others. Lunsford was among the wounded, and he has lived with the aftermath ever since.
But Lunsford wants one thing made clear: this shouldn’t be treated like entertainment. Speaking exclusively with TMZ, he said Hasan’s livestreamed death shouldn’t be treated like an event you tailgate.
His warning reflects growing unease about what it means to broadcast a state execution in real time. The line between transparency and spectacle is thin, and Lunsford — who lived through the horror firsthand — seems to understand that better than most.
Keep Kids and Teens Away
Lunsford also made a direct plea about who should have access to the stream. He stressed that not everyone should be watching, adding that kids and teens should be sitting this one out.
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It’s a commonsense position from someone who knows what violence looks like up close. An execution, even one carried out on a convicted mass murderer, isn’t content for young audiences. Just because something can be streamed doesn’t mean everyone should consume it.
The Platform Problem
Even as Lunsford prepares to watch, he’s skeptical about how the livestream will actually happen. He thinks the Defense Department will have a hard time finding a place to livestream the execution, noting that outlets won’t want to deal with the backlash of airing an execution in real time.
That’s a practical problem with no easy answer. Mainstream platforms have historically avoided hosting execution footage, and the reputational risk of carrying a firing squad broadcast is enormous. The War Department’s plan may be technically feasible, but finding a willing distribution partner is another matter.
Vance: ‘Not For Me’
Meanwhile, the controversy has reached the highest levels of government. Vice President JD Vance previously said he’s skeptical that the Pentagon will follow through with the plan at all. And even if the livestreamed execution moves forward, Vance said he won’t be tuning in to watch.
His stance mirrors the unease many Americans feel. Support for the death penalty and support for watching it happen live are two very different things, and Vance’s refusal signals discomfort even within the administration.
Remembering the Victims
Through it all, Lunsford returned to one central point: we can’t forget that people died in the horrific shooting. Thirteen lives were lost. Thirty-two people were wounded. Hasan was convicted of it all.
For Lunsford, watching the execution isn’t about celebration — it’s about witnessing justice and honoring those who didn’t survive. As December 3 approaches, the nation faces a question with no comfortable answer: how do you broadcast an execution without turning it into entertainment? Lunsford’s answer is simple — you don’t treat it like a party, you don’t let kids watch, and you never forget why it’s happening. For one survivor who has carried seven bullets’ worth of pain for 17 years, the only thing that matters is looking his shooter in the eye and finally closing the book.
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