Fellow soldiers say suspect in Fort Stewart was being bullied for a stutter and ‘he could barely talk’
Sgt. Quornelius Radford, the soldier accused of opening fire at Fort Stewart in Georgia on Wednesday, wounding five people, was persistently bullied over his stutter in his early military career, former colleagues say.
Radford, 28, was reportedly mocked for his speech impediment during the roughly two months he spent in 2018 at the Army’s Advanced Individual Training school at Fort Lee in Virginia.
“He got bullied a lot,” Sgt. Cameron Barrett, who became friends with Radford during that time, told NBC News. “It was very bad to the point where he could barely talk.”
Despite the alleged harassment, Barrett and other fellow soldiers said Radford never showed signs of anger, resentment, or deeper issues, the outlet reported. Those who knew him described the logistics sergeant as quiet but capable of a playful, lighthearted side.
“It was easy for those people to make fun of him for the way he spoke,” Sgt. Carlos Coleman, who trained alongside Radford, told the outlet. “After that, he really didn’t speak that much.”
“I just saw him get quiet,” he added. “I’ve never seen him angry. That’s why I’m so surprised.”
The news that Radford was identified as the suspect in the Wednesday morning shooting shocked those who had served with him. Barrett said he even messaged Radford on Snapchat to check on him after reports of an active shooter, but received no reply.
According to Army officials, Radford allegedly used a personal handgun to open fire shortly before 11 a.m., injuring five members of his unit in the 2nd Brigade Combat Team.
Three of the victims were released from hospitals the same day, while two women remained hospitalized as of Thursday. Both are in a stable condition. Authorities have not said whether the victims were Radford’s subordinates or superiors, and a motive remains unclear.
Radford’s alleged shooting spree ended when fellow soldiers tackled and subdued him.
Barrett and Coleman agree that something else must have happened to Radford, as the bullying from his early military days happened years ago.
“I have questions, too,” Coleman said. “I just want to know what pushed him to that point.”
Coleman noted Radford’s final Facebook post on January 28, where he shared profound lingering sadness over losing a loved one in a wrong-way crash.
“I remember I couldn’t speak after hearing that,” Radford posted in a screenshot that Coleman shared with NBC News.
Radford reportedly continued that he coped with his pain by crying and drinking, describing the lost loved one as a source of comfort who cared about his well-being.
“I know you tried to keep me on a good path when I was hanging out in the streets,” Radford wrote. “I remember the nights you were scared when I was going down that road, and I’m truly sorry for putting you through that.”
Radford remains in custody and has been interviewed by the Army Criminal Investigation Division as the investigation continues.
