Idaho plans for firing squad executions — aiming to keep prison staff from rifles

BOISE, Idaho — Idaho’s prison system is pursuing a remote-operated system for firing squad executions as the state builds toward becoming the first in the U.S. with it as the primary method for carrying out the death penalty.

The state’s execution chamber at the prison complex south of Boise is under construction to accommodate shooting condemned prisoners to death by next summer. A new law that prioritizes a firing squad goes into effect starting July 2026. Lethal injection will remain the backup option.

But the Idaho Department of Correction aims to limit direct participation from correctional officers, agency spokesperson Blake Lopez told the Idaho Statesman.

“We have not yet procured a remote-operated system but are actively exploring available options,” he said by email. “A remote-