Five soldiers were wounded after a sergeant opened fire on his own unit at Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield, a military base in Georgia. Authorities identified the arrested suspect as a 28-year-old, automated logistics sergeant Sgt. Quornelius Radford, who is a member of the Second Brigade Combat Team.
According to CBS, the army filed charges against him on August 12 on multiple counts of attempted premeditated murder, aggravated assault causing serious bodily harm, aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon, and domestic violence.
Brigadier General John W. Lubas, the base’s commander, stated in a press conference after the August 6 incident that everyone was expected to recover. He claimed that if not for an unarmed soldier who tackled the shooter and another who held him down until the police arrived, more people might have been hurt. Other soldiers rushed in to assist with medical treatment.
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Authorities were unable to reveal how the suspect had hidden the gun used in the shooting. Weapons are highly monitored at Fort Stewart and other military bases.
“We’re going to have to determine how he was able to get a handgun to his place of duty,” General Lubas said.
According to the general, commanders were also unaware of Sergeant Radford’s May arrest until after the shooting. He was accused of misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence and running a red light, according to court documents. He was set to appear before a court on August 20.
In an interview with The New York Times, the sergeant’s father, 52-year-old Eddie Radford of Jacksonville, stated that he had not observed any strange behavior from his son and was clueless about the possible reasons behind his attacks on his fellow soldiers.
“It’s hard for me to process,” he said.
However, he added that his son had been looking for a transfer and had complained about racism at Fort Stewart, where he had been stationed for a number of years, to his family.
According to the elder Radford, Sergeant Radford texted his aunt on the morning of the incident, saying, “He loved everybody, and that he’ll be in a better place because he was about to go and do something.”
He added that although he had not personally read the message, the aunt—who could not be reached right away—had told him about it.
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During a press conference, General Lubas stated that Sergeant Radford had no combat experience abroad and no known military discipline record.
“We’re still not certain about the motivations,” the general said.
Mr. Radford added that his son had no history of severe mental illness. Still, he did occasionally struggle with depression related to his mother’s passing when he was a little boy. Mr. Radford explained that he enlisted in the Army because several of his uncles served in the military.
“These American soldiers highlight exactly what the Army has meant to this country,” Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll also said at a news conference. He introduced First Sgt. Joshua Arnold, one of those who treated the wounded. Sergeant Arnold said he heard loud pops and ran toward the sound, yelling, “There’s a gunshot!”
Fort Stewart, located 40 miles southwest of Savannah, has a population of approximately 8,800 people. The incident happened in the area of the Second Armored Brigade Combat Team, according to officials on the base, which is home to the Third Infantry Division.
At around 11 a.m., shortly after the initial reports of gunfire, the base was placed under lockdown.
The Army Criminal Investigation Division was in charge of the shooting investigation, including the search for a motive, and the FBI’s Savannah office was aiding.
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