Death By Firing Squad

The firing squad is still a method of execution in a couple of states as an alternative to lethal injection or the electric chair. Death by firing squad is one of the most painful methods of execution still used today. The inmate is strapped to a chair in front of a canvas wall with a hood placed over his head. A doctor pins a target to his chest over the heart, and four gunman are given live ammo, while another one is given blanks. Once they have aimed their guns through the slots in the wall, they are given the signal, and they discharge their weapons. Death can happen fairly fast if the heart or a major blood vessel are struck by a bullet, or slowly if neither of those things happen*. Since 1976, only three inmates have been executed by firing sqaud**.