Witness recalls 'heart pounding' moments leading up to death row inmate's firing squad execution

A witness has spoken out after witnessing Brad Sigmon's execution.

Sigmon's name had been in several news headlines leading up to his death.

Why? Because he opted to die by firing squad, making him the first American in 15 years to choose such a method.

The other two options South Carolina death row inmates are given is the electric chair or lethal injection.

Sigmon didn't want to die by electric chair out of fear of being 'cooked' by the fatal device, while his lawyers argued that not enough information was shared about the lethal injection's protocol for the 67-year-old to feel confident choosing it.

Sigmon, who murdered his ex-girlfriend's parents in 2001, was put to death on Friday (March 7).

One person to witness his execution was reporter Jeffrey Collins, who has since spoken out about what he saw.

Collins says he's seen several inmates put to death, with Sigmon marking his 11th.

While he's no stranger to watching such difficult events unfold, the AP journalist said that 'none of the previous 10 [executions] prepared me for watching the firing squad death of Brad Sigmon on Friday night'.

"It's impossible to know what to expect when you've never seen someone shot at close range right in front of you," he continued to write.

Brad Sigmon was executed on Friday, March 7 (South Carolina Department of Corrections)

"The firing squad is certainly faster - and more violent - than lethal injection. It's a lot more tense, too. My heart started pounding a little after Sigmon's lawyer read his final statement.

"The hood was put over Sigmon's head, and an employee opened the black pull shade that shielded where the three prison system volunteer shooters were.

"About two minutes later, they fired. There was no warning or countdown. The abrupt crack of the rifles startled me. And the white target with the red bullseye that had been on his chest, standing out against his black prison jumpsuit, disappeared instantly as Sigmon's whole body flinched."

Sigmon was then declared dead at 6:08pm local time.

Jeffrey Collins was one of the members of press present at Sigmon's execution (@JSCollinsAP/Twitter)

The late inmate's brother has spoken out since Sigmon's shooting. He was also present at the execution.

"He had a proud face when he sat down to be shot," he told the New York Post of his sibling's final moments.

"I’m never going to feel relieved about it but he said what he wanted to say and he died the way he wanted to die."

Sigmon's siblings and one of his sons went to visit him in prison in the lead up to his execution.