Hasan Karim Akbar was born as Mark Fidel Kools on April 21, 1971, in Watts, Los Angeles, California. He had a challenging upbringing in a neighborhood known for its struggles. His father, John Kools, was incarcerated for gang-related activities. While in prison, John converted to Islam and changed his surname to Akbar before his release in 1974.

Hasan's mother later converted to Islam as well, marrying a man named William M. Bilal, also a Muslim convert. After the marriage, she took the name Quran Bilal. She changed her son’s name to Hasan Karim Akbar to reflect both their faith and his father's new surname. Hasan was raised in a Muslim household from a young age.

In 1988, Hasan was accepted into the University of California, Davis. He worked hard during his studies and graduated in 1997, earning Bachelor's degrees in both Aeronautical and Mechanical Engineering. His time in college was not straightforward; he stopped and restarted his studies, which extended the duration of his education.

During college, Hasan took part in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC), but he did not receive a military commission upon graduation. After facing significant debt, he decided to join the Army as an enlisted soldier. He eventually became an E-5 sergeant and worked as a combat engineer in the 101st Airborne Division.

As a student and then a soldier, Hasan faced various difficulties. Reports suggested challenges in adjusting to both university life and military service. His father later noted that Hasan mentioned issues with religious and racial harassment in the Army. 

On March 23, 2003, Hasan Karim Akbar carried out a violent attack at Camp Pennsylvania in Kuwait. This incident took place early in the morning during the build-up to the Iraq War. Akbar turned off a power generator that provided light to the area and then threw four hand grenades into three tents where fellow soldiers were sleeping. The explosion caused severe injuries and chaos.

As the soldiers reacted to the grenades, Akbar used his rifle to fire at his fellow troops. Army Captain Christopher S. Seifert was shot in the back and died, while Air Force Major Gregory L. Stone was killed by shrapnel from a grenade. In total, fourteen soldiers were injured due to Akbar's actions, with many suffering from grenade wounds.

Akbar was quickly identified as the sole suspect in the attack. After the incident, he was taken into custody and later tried by a military court at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. During the court martial, the prosecution presented evidence including Akbar's diary entries. These entries indicated his premeditated intent to harm his fellow soldiers.

The trial began in 2005, where Akbar confessed to the murders. However, his defense team argued that he had a history of mental illness. They claimed that his psychiatric issues had been known to the military prior to the attack.

On April 21, 2005, Akbar was found guilty of two counts of premeditated murder and three counts of attempted premeditated murder. On April 28, he was sentenced to death by the military jury after about seven hours of deliberation. His case went through several appeals, with the Army Court of Criminal Appeals and the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces both upholding the death sentence. Ultimately, after exhausting all his appeals, Akbar remains on death row at the United States Disciplinary Barracks, awaiting execution as ordered by the President of the United States.