Stephen Bryant was executed by firing squad at the Broad River Correctional Institution in South Carolina for 2004 murders in Sumter County. Convicted of killing three men—including one whose blood he used to scrawl “catch me if u can”—Bryant chose a firing-squad execution over lethal injection and the electric chair. His lawyers argued his sentencing judge ignored prenatal brain damage and childhood sexual abuse. The execution is the third by firing squad in South Carolina this year and raises fresh debate over capital punishment methods.
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Stephen Bryant executed by firing squad: key moments
Columbia, S.C. — On Friday evening at approximately 6:05 p.m., death-row inmate Stephen Bryant was executed by firing squad at the South Carolina Department of Corrections facility located in the Broad River Correctional Institution, marking the third time this year that South Carolina has used a squad of riflemen to carry out a death sentence.
Stephen Bryant, aged 44 at the time of execution, had been convicted for the October 2004 spree murders in Sumter County — including the brutal killing of Willard ‘TJ’ Tietjen inside his rural home, where Bryant shot him multiple times, burned his eyes with cigarettes, and used the victim’s blood to write a taunting message on the wall: “catch me if u can.” Prosecutors also say Bryant fatally shot two other men whom he had offered rides to and then shot in the back as they urinated by the roadside.
The execution and method choice
Bryant chose execution by firing squad over the state’s options of lethal injection or the electric chair. His selection came amid ongoing controversy over execution methods and drug-shortages for lethal injection. Three prison employees volunteered to fire live rounds from about 15 feet away. According to media accounts, Bryant made no final statement and briefly glanced at the ten witnesses before a hood was placed over his head. The shots fired, a red bull’s-eye target placed over his heart flew off his chest, and he made only shallow breaths before a doctor pronounced him dead.
Legal appeals and defense claims
In the days prior to execution, Bryant’s attorneys filed a final appeal arguing that his sentencing judge never adequately considered severe brain damage caused by his mother’s drug and alcohol use during pregnancy, as well as childhood sexual abuse and subsequent substance-use issues. The state supreme court declined to review his sentence and Governor Henry McMaster denied clemency, consistent with precedent: no South Carolina governor has granted clemency since the death-penalty was reinstated in 1976. WACH
South Carolina’s return to firing squad executions
South Carolina had paused executions for 13 years due to challenges obtaining lethal-injection drugs, and resumed in September 2024. Since then, the state has carried out six executions, three of which by firing squad (including Bryant’s). The firing squad method is rare in the U.S. and has sparked serious debate over humanity, transparency and legality. Human-rights groups call it “barbaric.”
Key details of the case
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Name of inmate | Stephen Bryant |
| Age at execution | 44 |
| Location of execution | Broad River Correctional Institution, Columbia, S.C. |
| Date of execution | November 14, 2025 |
| Method | Firing squad (inmate’s choice) |
| Crimes | Three murders in October 2004 in Sumter County |
| Victims | Willard “TJ” Tietjen and two others |
| Notable act | Victim’s blood used to write “catch me if u can” on wall |
| Defense argument | Brain damage, childhood sexual abuse, drug use |
| Cle mency decision | Denied by Gov. Henry McMaster |
| State execution context | 3rd firing-squad execution in SC this year; 50th since reinstatement |
Broader implications & reaction
The execution of Stephen Bryant underscores persistent tension around the death penalty in the U.S., and especially in South Carolina. With the state offering inmates the choice of lethal injection, electric chair, or now firing squad, critics question whether the method changes amount to “re-branding” rather than reform. Advocates for abolition say that use of the firing squad resurrects long-discredited practices. The fact that Bryant chose this method adds another dimension: whether fear of lethal-injection protocols (or lack of drug supply) is driving such choices. This case also revives discussions about mental-health and childhood‐trauma considerations in sentencing for capital crimes.
Final Word
Stephen Bryant’s execution by firing squad represents a convergence of brutal crime, complex legal arguments, and evolving capital-punishment policy. As one of the few people in recent U.S. history executed by rifle fire, his case will likely remain part of the broader national debate over how, when and whether the state should deploy the ultimate punishment.