The former Navy SEAL who claims he fired the fatal shot that killed Osama bin Laden has opened up about the mission that changed his life—and the one thing he wishes had been done differently.

Robert O’Neill was part of the elite team that carried out the historic raid on May 2, 2011, during Operation Neptune Spear.

The mission, ordered by Barack Obama, ended a decade-long manhunt following the September 11 attacks.

“We Thought Death Was Coming”

O’Neill revealed that his team went into the operation fully prepared for the worst.

“This would be a one-way mission… you’re prepared for death,” he said.

The SEAL team rehearsed relentlessly for weeks, knowing they were heading into one of the most dangerous operations in modern military history.

“The hardest part is telling your kids goodbye,” he admitted. “Because death is coming.”

The Moment He Came Face-to-Face

According to O’Neill, the entire mission lasted just minutes—but included one unforgettable moment.

After searching the compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, he found himself just feet away from bin Laden.

“I recognized him immediately,” he said, describing the al-Qaeda leader as thinner and older than expected.

Believing there was a potential threat, O’Neill says he fired multiple shots, killing him instantly.

“I just shot Bin Laden… everything I had ever known changed drastically,” he recalled.

Life After the Mission

Although the operation was considered a major success, O’Neill says the aftermath was life-altering.

His identity and role in the mission eventually became public—something that has drawn both praise and criticism, especially within military circles that value discretion.

Another former SEAL, Matt Bissonnette, has also claimed responsibility for the fatal shot, fueling ongoing debate.

His One Lasting Regret

Despite the mission’s success, O’Neill admits there’s one thing he wishes had happened differently.

After the raid, bin Laden’s body was buried at sea to prevent any burial site from becoming a shrine.

But O’Neill believes a more public form of closure would have been better.

“I would have hung him from a bridge in New York City,” he said.

A Mission That Still Echoes Today

More than a decade later, the operation remains one of the most significant moments in modern U.S. history.

For O’Neill, it’s not just a story of military success—but one of sacrifice, consequences, and a life that changed forever in the space of just nine minutes.