Reporter Haunted by Death Row Firing Squad Execution: 'I Won't Forget'
A South Carolina death row inmate's choice to die by firing squad left one reporter unsettled, describing the execution as something that will stay with him forever. Brad Sigmon, convicted of a brutal double murder in 2001, became the first person in the United States since 2010 to be executed by firing squad. Witnesses to his final moments say the experience was unlike anything they had ever seen.
A Chilling Scene in the Execution Chamber
On March 7, 2025, Brad Sigmon was strapped into a chair in a South Carolina prison, a target placed over his heart and a black hood over his head as three riflemen took their positions. The shooters, volunteers from the Department of Corrections, used ammunition designed to shatter on impact.
At exactly 6:05 p.m., the execution order was given. The rifles fired, striking Sigmon in the chest. Officials checked for signs of life and pronounced him dead at 6:08 p.m. At the age of 67, Sigmon became the oldest person to be executed in South Carolina.
Journalist Jeffrey Collins, along with Sigmon's attorneys and family members of the victims, watched the execution unfold from behind a glass partition. Although Collins had covered executions before, nothing prepared him for the eerie silence leading up to the moment of death.
Describing the experience, he recalled, "There was no warning or countdown. The abrupt crack of the rifles startled me. And the white target with the red bullseye that had been on his chest, standing out against his black prison jumpsuit, disappeared instantly as Sigmon's whole body flinched. ... I won't forget the crack of the rifles Friday and that target disappearing. Also etched in my mind: Sigmon talking or mouthing toward his lawyer, trying to let him know he was OK before the hood went on," as reported by CBS News.
Sigmon's Final Words
Before his death, Sigmon issued a final statement through his attorneys, choosing to focus on faith rather than his crimes. According to CBS News, his message read that he wanted his last statement "to be one of love and a calling to my fellow Christians to help us end the death penalty."
Why Sigmon Chose the Firing Squad
Sigmon had been on death row for more than 23 years after being convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend's parents with a baseball bat in 2001. He was originally set to die by lethal injection, but South Carolina faced drug shortages over the years.
Sigmon fought to delay his execution, but his final appeal was rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court. His attorneys urged Gov. Henry McMaster to reduce his sentence to life in prison, emphasizing that Sigmon had expressed remorse, demonstrated good behavior, and earned the trust of prison staff despite his history of severe mental illness.
Sigmon ultimately chose the firing squad, believing it to be less brutal than the electric chair, which he feared would "cook him alive," or lethal injection, which he worried would cause him to suffocate as fluid filled his lungs, according to CBS News. His attorneys argued that South Carolina's lack of transparency about its lethal injection drugs left him with no real choice but to face death by bullets — an execution method long steeped in controversy.
In his final hours, Sigmon reportedly shared his last meal with other death row inmates and intended to donate the remaining funds in his commissary account.
A Rare Execution That Won't Be Forgotten
Sigmon's execution was a rare use of the firing squad in the United States, leaving a lasting impact on those who witnessed it. For journalist Jeffrey Collins, the moment was unforgettable — the crack of the rifles, the sudden disappearance of the target, and Sigmon's final attempt to reassure his lawyer.
Though his execution proceeded as planned, Sigmon's final words carried a lasting message — calling for love and an end to the death penalty. He was one of 32 inmates on South Carolina's death row, and since 1976, the state has carried out 46 executions without granting a single clemency.
References: 'I Won't Forget': Firing Squad Witness Reveals Horror of Watching Murderer Die | South Carolina man Brad Sigmon executed by firing squad, first such execution in 15 years | Firing squad witness describes South Carolina execution of Brad Sigmon: "My heart started pounding"
