Who is Quornelius Radford, the solider accused of a mass shooting at Fort Stewart Army base in Georgia
An Army sergeant opened fire at the Fort Stewart Base in Georgia Wednesday, shooting five fellow soldiers and causing a lockdown, officials said.
Authorities identified the suspected shooter as logistics Sgt. Quornelius Radford. A motive was not immediately known, but officials said they believed Radford used a personal handgun, not a military weapon.
The attack prompted soldiers in the area to “immediately and without hesitation,” tackle the shooter, Brig. Gen. John Lubas said.
Radford was taken into custody soon after the shooting, and officials later said that there was “no active threat to the community.”
He has a limited criminal past, including a DUI arrest, but officials at the base admitted they were unaware of his history.
The five soldiers who were injured are in stable condition and are expected to recover, Lubas said. The Army won’t release their names pending notification of family members, and officials won’t speculate on a motive, Lt. Col. Angel Tomko said.
What happened?
The shooting occurred in the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team area, according to the army base.
Law enforcement were called to the scene just before 11 a.m. and by 11:04 a.m., the base went into lockdown. About 30 minutes after the base went into lockdown, authorities apprehended the gunman.
“Fort Stewart lifted the lockdown of the main cantonment area at 12:10 p.m. 2nd ABCT complex is still locked down,” officials said. The lockdown order was extended to the Wright and Evans Army Airfield.
The lockdown lasted about an hour, and prompted three schools near the base to also lock down “out of an abundance of caution,” the Liberty County School System said. The lockdown, which was lifted just before 2 p.m., coincided with students’ first day back in the classroom after summer break.
What do we know about the suspected shooter?
Officials identified the shooter as logistics Sgt. Quornelius Radford. He is 28 years old, a law enforcement source told CNN, which also reported that he was arrested in May for DUI.
The suspected shooter’s supervisors did not know he had previously been arrested, Lubas said.
“I do believe he was arrested locally for a DUI. That was unknown to his chain of command until the event occurred and we started looking into the law enforcement databases,” Lubas said.
Radford is currently being held in pretrial confinement awaiting charges, Lubas said. Authorities have not yet shared a motive behind the attack. They also have to determine how the suspected shooter brought his personal gun onto the Army base.
“We’re going to have to determine how he was able to get a handgun to his place of duty,” Lubas said, later reaffirming that he is still “very confident” in the base’s security.
What happened to those injured?
Five soldiers were shot during the incident, officials said.
All five were treated at the base before some were taken to Winn Army Community Hospital. Some of the wounded were later transferred to Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah, a top-level trauma center.
During a press briefing, officials confirmed the five soldiers struck in the gunfire were in stable condition and recovering.
What was the reaction of Georgia lawmakers?
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp in a statement said he was “saddened” to hear about the tragedy.
“As we remain in close contact with law enforcement on the ground, Marty, the girls, and I are saddened by today’s tragedy at Ft. Stewart,” he wrote on X. “We are keeping the victims, their families, and all those who answer the call to serve in our hearts and prayers, and we ask that Georgians everywhere do the same.”
Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock said he was “heartbroken” to see the news, writing on X, “I’m monitoring the situation closely and join all of Georgia as we pray for the safety of our servicemembers, staff, and their families.”
Republican Rep. Rich McCormick also wrote on X that he was monitoring the situation and that his “heart is with the entire community.”
Republican Reps. Mike Collins and Marjorie Taylor Greene shared their prayers for the soldiers and their families.
“Thank you also to the first responders on base and medical personnel who swiftly and valiantly acted to save lives and end the threat. As the investigation unfolds we hope for swift justice for the shooter,” Collins wrote on X.
“Please join me in a prayer for the safety of everyone at Fort Stewart,” Greene wrote.
Former state lawmaker Stacey Abrams wrote, “Praying for the wounded soldiers and their families following today’s horrific shooting at Fort Stewart. Grateful to the first responders who rushed to the scene and saved lives.”
What is the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team?
The Army’s 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team was created in 2016 after over 200 vehicles were added to an infantry unit of roughly 4,200 soldiers, the Associated Press reported.
The team, also known as the “Spartan Brigade,” has been deemed the “most modern land fighting force” by the Army.
Fort Stewart trains and deploys active and reserve Army units, primarily members of the 3rd Infantry Division.
Who is investigating?
The FBI responded to the military base Wednesday afternoon and was working in coordination with the Army Criminal Investigation Division. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was also responding to the shooting, the agency wrote on X.
