John Muhammad, the man who became known as the DC sniper was pronounced dead at 9.11 pm, est, in the Commonwealth of Virginia this evening. Muhammad was executed by lethal injection, a process which commenced some five minuted before.
According to some who witnessed the execution, Muhammad staggered into the death chamber wearing a blue denim shirt, denim pants and flip flops and was held up by prison officials.
Eye witnesses report that he was clean cut and calm, looking around and down on the floor as he was escorted into the execution chamber. Initially, his legs, waist and then arms were strapped to a gurney and around 9.07 pm, eye witnesses said Muhammad started to twitch and deep breath. By 9.08 pm, the DC sniper was motionless and he was pronounced dead by a physician at 9.11 pm.
Prior to the administering of the lethal injection, Muhammad was asked whether he had any last words. Eye witnesses report that he did not acknowledge the question.
Although there was an open line to the State Capitol throughout the evening, those who hoped that Virginia’s Governor might have stayed Muhammad’s execution, were doomed to be disappointed.
Muhammad, 48, was sentenced to death for the murder of Dean Harold Meyers. Muhammad and his junior accomplice, Lee Boyd Malvo had terrorized the Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia area in 2002 and were responsible for 10 shootings.
