South Carolina Executes Brad Keith by Firing Squad

In a significant and controversial move, South Carolina executed Brad Keith, a convicted murderer, by firing squad on March 9, 2025. This marks the first time in over a decade that the state has utilized this method of execution, sparking renewed debate over the death penalty and its methods.

Brad Keith, sentenced to death for the murder committed in 2010, chose firing squad as his method of execution after lethal injection drugs were unavailable. The execution took place at the Broad River Correctional Institution, drawing attention from both supporters and critics of capital punishment.

Keith's last meal consisted of buckets of chicken, a choice that added a somber note to the event. The execution process itself was reported to be swift, with Keith pronounced dead at 6:01 a.m. This case has reignited discussions on the ethics and legality of firing squads as a means of execution.

Advocacy groups and legal experts continue to challenge the use of firing squads, citing concerns over cruelty and the psychological impact on executioners. Meanwhile, state officials defend the method as a necessary alternative when lethal injection is not feasible.

• Brad Keith
• Broad River Correctional Institution
• firing squad
• South Carolina

Detailed South Carolina executes Brad Sigmon by firing squad

Firing Squad Execution Witness Recounts Experience: A Rifle Crack, Then Silence

4 weeks ago

- nytimes

Firing squad executes Brad Keith Sigmon in South Carolina in 'bloody spectacle'

1 month ago

- yahoo

Brad Sigmon death sentence: How does the firing squad work in South Carolina?

1 month ago

- 6abc

Related issues news

Does South Carolina have Death by Firing Squad?

In 2021, South Carolina passed a law allowing execution by firing squad in the state but named the electric chair the state's primary means of execution.

Where is Death Row in South Carolina?

Death row inmates in South Carolina are housed in a building adjacent to the death chamber at the Broad River Correctional Institution in Columbia.

What is the South Carolina death penalty?

On May 14, 2021, Governor Henry McMaster signed into law Act 43 of 2021, restoring the electric chair as the default method of execution if lethal injection was unavailable, and added the firing squad as an option upon the offender's request.

What states have firing squads for executions?

Five states — Idaho, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Utah — authorize the use of firing squads in certain circumstances. Here's a look at the history behind the death penalty method.

X talks about this news