South Carolina Executes Brad Sigmon by Firing Squad

Brad Sigmon, a 67-year-old inmate convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend's parents in 2001, was executed by firing squad in South Carolina on March 7, 2025, marking the first use of this execution method in the U.S. in 15 years. Sigmon was pronounced dead shortly after the executioners fired rifles at a target over his heart, following the denial of his final appeals for clemency. His choice of firing squad over lethal injection was influenced by concerns over the state's secretive execution methods, with Sigmon citing fears of a painful death. The execution drew significant public attention, with both supporters and critics present outside the prison, reflecting the ongoing debate over capital punishment in America. Sigmon's final statement called for an end to the death penalty, invoking Biblical themes to express his views. With this execution, Sigmon became the fourth person executed by firing squad in the U.S. since 1977, and the first in South Carolina's modern history.