COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — I have had the somber experience of witnessing the executions of 11 men at a South Carolina prison, and none prepared me for the harrowing sight of Brad Sigmon's execution by firing squad on Friday night. Having reported on multiple executions throughout my nearly 25-year career, I find myself uniquely positioned among U.S. journalists, having observed three different methods of execution: nine lethal injections and one electric chair execution. The stark memory of the electrical jolt that shook a prisoner 21 years ago remains vivid in my mind.

In anticipation of watching Sigmon's execution, scheduled for March 7, 2025, I meticulously researched the firing squad method, including the potential injuries inflicted by gunfire. I even examined autopsy photos from the last state-sanctioned shooting in the U.S., which took place in Utah in 2010. Sigmon's trial transcript revealed the brutal nature of his crimes in 2001, where he killed his ex-girlfriend's parents by striking them nine times each with a baseball bat in their Greenville County home.

Despite extensive preparation, the secretive execution protocols meant I could not fully anticipate the experience of witnessing someone shot before my eyes. The firing squad method, as I would later learn, is markedly quicker and more violent than lethal injection, introducing an intense atmosphere. My heart raced as Sigmon's lawyer delivered his final statement. When the hood was placed over Sigmon's head and the black pull shade was lifted to reveal the shooters, tension filled the air.

Approximately two minutes later, the three prison volunteers fired without warning or countdown, the sudden roar of the rifles startling me. The white target with a red bullseye on Sigmon's chest vanished instantly as his body reacted with a flinch. It was reminiscent of the moment 21 years ago when electricity surged through a condemned inmate's body.

As I tried to monitor a digital clock to my right, the scene unfolded with Sigmon to my left and the shooters behind the glass. A jagged red spot emerged on his chest, and although his body moved a few times, the execution was eerily silent aside from the initial gunfire. A doctor was present within a minute to examine Sigmon, ultimately declaring him dead at 6:08 p.m.

After the execution, we exited through the same door we entered. The day’s departure from the sterile, fluorescent-lit death chamber was jarring; the sunset painted the sky with shades of pink and purple, starkly contrasting the gray walls and furnishings reminiscent of a 1970s medical facility.

The death chamber is situated less than a five-minute drive from the Correction Department headquarters, situated along a bustling suburban highway. As I returned from each execution, I would gaze out the window, observing a pasture filled with cows on one side, with the prison’s razor wire visible in the distance on the other. Armed prison personnel were present in significant numbers, and after about 15 minutes of waiting in a van, my wristwatch and cellphone were returned to me, allowing me to regain a sense of time.

Throughout the day, I pondered the grim tally of death row inmates. Earlier that day, there were 28 inmates on death row, which would soon drop to 27, following Sigmon’s execution. The number had decreased from 31 just months prior; this shift came after a lengthy 13-year pause during which South Carolina struggled to procure lethal injection drugs. Now, death row inmates could choose between lethal injection, electrocution, or the firing squad. I recalled witnessing executions of other inmates, including Freddie Owens and Richard Moore, each having profound moments that would remain etched in my memory.

With the state preparing for future executions, I anticipate returning to Broad River Correctional Institution on April 11, when two more men are slated to be executed. Should these executions occur as scheduled, they would mark the 12th and 13th men I have seen executed in South Carolina. After Sigmon's execution, my experiences will encompass more than a quarter of the state’s executions since the death penalty was reinstated. The impact of witnessing these events continues to resonate, leaving enduring impressions on my life and career.

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Collins was one of three media witnesses for the firing squad execution of Brad Sigmon. He has been a witness to 11 South Carolina executions during his nearly 25-year career with The Associated Press.