Five American soldiers were shot and wounded at Fort Stewart, Georgia, after a fellow service member opened fire on Wednesday morning using a personal handgun.
The suspect, identified as Sergeant Quornelius Radford, is an active-duty soldier in the 2nd Brigade Combat Team. He was quickly subdued by his peers in what commanders say prevented an even more tragic outcome.
The shooting occurred just before 11 a.m. local time, triggering a lockdown at the massive military installation located southeast of Atlanta. Brigadier General John Lubas, who commands the 3rd Infantry Division, confirmed that Radford had no previous deployment to a combat zone. The motive behind the shooting remains unclear.
Three of the wounded soldiers have undergone surgery and all five are reported to be in stable condition. General Lubas commended the swift action of the soldiers who tackled the shooter, saying their intervention “without a doubt” saved lives. Radford is currently in pre-trial confinement and being interviewed by Army criminal investigators.
Authorities say the weapon used was not issued by the military. They are now investigating how Radford managed to bring it onto the base. He had previously been arrested by civilian police for driving under the influence, a fact unknown to military officials before the shooting.
Witnesses on base described scenes of fear and confusion. A Burger King manager said her staff sheltered in a safe room as the situation unfolded. “I wasn’t worried about the food. I was worried about my crew,” she told reporters.
President Donald Trump said the shooter would be “prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” calling the attack an “atrocity.” Georgia Governor Brian Kemp urged residents to keep the victims and their families in their prayers. Fort Stewart, the largest Army base east of the Mississippi, remains on high alert.
