The 5 Simple Steps Behind ‘Death By Firing Squad’

Step 3: Executioners take aim

Five executioners position themselves behind a concrete wall set up about 25 feet from the convicted inmate. The shooters then place their rifles, typically .30 caliber Winchesters, through slots in the wall and take aim at the prisoner’s heart. The five shooters are chosen from a pool of volunteer officers, most of whom are from the area where the crime took place. Their names are kept anonymous, and one is given a blank bullet, so it is impossible to know who fired the kill shot.

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