Idaho Approves Firing Squad As Primary Death Penalty

Idaho recently became the first state to mandate the firing squad as its primary method for executing death row inmates. ^[1] The new law went into effect on Wednesday after passing the state legislature in 2025. Lethal injection remains an alternative option.

Idaho recently became the first state to mandate the firing squad as its primary method for executing death row inmates.

Other States

While Idaho is the first to make it the primary method, other states allow it as well. Mississippi, Oklahoma, Utah, and South Carolina list the firing squad as an alternative. State lawmakers who supported the measure argued it was a humane and instant method. Those against it claimed the opposite.

Guidelines

The Idaho Department of Corrections provided new execution procedures. Three team members will carry out the execution. They will use .308-caliber rifles loaded with one live round in three separate magazines.  The personnel will maintain complete anonymity. A target is placed over the condemned person’s heart.

Current Roster

Currently, there are eight people on Idaho’s death row. This includes seven men and one woman.] The state has only carried out three executions since adopting the death penalty in 1977. This new legislation followed a canceled execution attempt in 2024. During that attempt, the medical team could not establish an IV line.

Federal Level

The United States Department of Justice also announced recent plans regarding the death penalty. They are seeking to streamline the process for death sentences. They also want to expand the protocol to include additional methods, such as the firing squad.