A survivor of the 2009 Fort Hood attack, Julia Wilson, expressed her strong desire for justice against Nidal Hasan, the shooter responsible for the massacre. She stated that she ‘wishes the shooter could be executed for each life he took.’ However, she also expressed concerns regarding the military’s decision to livestream Hasan’s upcoming execution.
Nidal Hasan, an Army psychiatrist at the time of the shooting, is scheduled for execution by firing squad on December 3, 2026. The decision to make the execution public was announced by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth earlier this month. Wilson, a former Defense Department civilian employee and survivor, shared her thoughts with Fox News Digital.
Wilson expressed a desire to witness Hasan’s execution as a way of reclaiming her strength and confronting the man who attempted to end her life. ‘I do want to be there,’ she declared. ‘I do want to look him in the eye to let him know… I survived you.’
The Fort Hood massacre occurred on November 5, 2009, when Hasan opened fire at a soldier readiness center, killing 13 people and wounding 32 others. He was sentenced to death on August 28, 2013, following a military trial.
Wilson raised concerns about the public broadcasting of Hasan’s execution, fearing it might unnecessarily expose children to violence. ‘Some children may end up seeing that,’ she said. ‘I don’t know why anybody would want to actually see something like that happen.’
Her concerns align with those of some lawmakers. Senator Thom Tillis, R-N.C., voiced objections to the livestreaming, comparing the practice to those of oppressive regimes. ‘Public executions should not happen in America,’ he remarked.
Former President Donald Trump mentioned he would decide whether to livestream Hasan’s execution, while Vice President J.D. Vance expressed uncertainty about the decision. He also noted he would not watch the livestream if it took place.
Wilson’s mixed feelings reflect a broader debate on the justice delivered through capital punishment. While she acknowledged relief that the process is moving forward, Wilson added, ‘I don’t ever want to see another human being die. But an eye for an eye.’
She recalled the traumatic experience of the shooting, which happened when she was nine months pregnant. Arriving at the center after lunch with her mother, Wilson described the chaos as gunfire erupted, with victims scattered and the building in disarray.
Wilson criticized the federal government’s long-standing classification of the shooting as ‘workplace violence,’ urging it be recognized as domestic terrorism. ‘We’ve been betrayed by the government for 17 years,’ she said. She has since written to Trump, advocating for reclassification.
‘It’s time for healing,’ Wilson concluded. ‘And healing cannot start until the situation is fully rectified, until there’s full justice.’