First Execution by Firing Squad in the U.S. in 15 Years Carried Out in South Carolina
Brad Sigmon, convicted of a 2001 double murder, chose the firing squad over lethal injection or the electric chair due to concerns about prolonged suffering.
- Brad Sigmon, a 67-year-old convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend's parents in 2001, was executed by a firing squad in Columbia, South Carolina.
- Sigmon opted for the firing squad, citing distrust of lethal injection and fear of prolonged suffering, according to his lawyer.
- The execution marked the first use of a firing squad in the U.S. since 2010 and the first in South Carolina since the method was reintroduced in 2021.
- Sigmon's final statement called for the abolition of the death penalty, with family members of his victims witnessing the execution.
- Five U.S. states, including South Carolina, permit firing squad executions, with 13 additional executions scheduled nationwide for this year.
Stern 
