Idaho Readies Remote Firing Squads to Shield Prison Staff

BOISE, Idaho — The Idaho Department of Correction is finalizing upgrades to the execution chamber at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution south of Boise, transforming it into the nation's first facility prioritizing remote-operated firing squad executions. House Bill 37, signed by Gov. Brad Little in March 2025, designates firing squads as the primary death penalty method effective July 1, 2026, with lethal injection as backup. Construction began in late May 2025 on the F Block chamber, demolishing the site through November 2025 and rebuilding by early 2026 to allow staff training.

IDOC spokesperson Ryan Mortensen stated the agency prefers a push-button system to minimize correctional officers' involvement in the "traumatic" process, exploring remote options after failing to procure one initially. "The number one priority is safety and security for all involved," Mortensen told the Prison Journalism Project. If remote technology isn't secured, a manual process with volunteer law enforcement riflemen—trained at the nearby firing range—will serve as backup, Director Bree Derrick confirmed. All executions remain paused since May 23, 2025.

The shift follows the aborted 2024 execution of death row inmate Thomas Creech, halted when medical staff couldn't establish an IV line for lethal injection amid chemical procurement woes. Rep. Doug Skaug, who pushed the bill, said IDOC leaders assure readiness, with prison staff already training. South Carolina executed three inmates by firing squad last year, while Idaho joins Mississippi, Oklahoma and Utah in retaining the method—but stands alone in elevating it primary.