Eye witness narrates how Brad Sigmon's execution unfolded: ‘My heart started pounding…’

Brad Sigmon became the first person to be executed by firing squad in South Carolina and the first in the United States to die by this method since 2003. The 67-year-old inmate, who had the option to choose between lethal injection, the electric chair, or the newly implemented firing squad, opted for the latter due to concerns over previous botched lethal injections. The hood was put over Sigmon’s head, and an employee opened the black pull shade that shielded where the three prison system volunteer shooters were,” he noted in the AP article AP reporter cites the efficiency of firing squad compared to other methods At precisely 6:05 p.m., the shots were fired. Collins, who has observed executions carried out by lethal injection, the electric chair, and now the firing squad, commented that the firing squad execution was “much quicker” compared to the other methods.