Fort Stewart Shooting: U.S. Army Sergeant Identified as Suspect After Injuring Five Soldiers

FORT STEWART, Georgia — A U.S. Army sergeant opened fire at Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield on Wednesday, injuring five fellow soldiers before he was apprehended by others on the base. All five victims are in a stable condition and are expected to recover, though three required surgery, military officials confirmed.

The suspected gunman was identified as Sergeant Quornelius Radford, 28, a soldier assigned to the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team of the 3rd Infantry Division. The incident, which is now under investigation, has raised questions about base security and the motivations behind the attack.

Incident Details and Timeline

The shooting occurred on Wednesday morning, with law enforcement responding to reports of a possible shooting at the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team area at 10:56 a.m. local time. The base was quickly placed on lockdown at 11:04 a.m., and the situation was brought to an end just 39 minutes after the first shots were fired, at 11:35 a.m., when other soldiers successfully subdued and arrested Radford.

The five injured soldiers received initial medical treatment at the scene before being taken to Winn Army Community Hospital. Two of them were later transferred to Memorial Hospital in Savannah for additional care. According to Brigadier-General John Lubas, the base commander, all are in stable condition.

Who is the Suspect, Quornelius Radford?

Quornelius Radford, a native of Jacksonville, Florida, enlisted in the Army in 2018. His role involved handling supplies and warehouse operations. Although his military record showed no known behavioral issues, officials disclosed that he had been arrested for a DUI in May—an incident his chain of command was reportedly unaware of at the time of the shooting.

The weapon used in the attack was a personal 9mm handgun that Radford had reportedly purchased in Florida in May. His father, Eddie Radford, stated in an interview with The New York Times that his son had been attempting to secure a transfer and had spoken about experiencing racism at the base. Lubas confirmed that the shooting took place at the suspect’s workplace and involved his co-workers, though the motive remains unclear.

Security and Context at Fort Stewart

Fort Stewart, the largest U.S. Army base east of the Mississippi River, is home to approximately 21,200 full-time soldiers. The base’s 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, to which Radford was assigned, has experienced several other fatal incidents this year, including a training accident in January that killed two soldiers and a separate incident in March that claimed the lives of four soldiers in Lithuania.

The use of a personal handgun in the attack highlights the ongoing debate over firearm policies on military installations. While the possession of personal firearms on base is often restricted to specific locations and circumstances, incidents like this underscore the challenges of maintaining security in such large, open environments.

Mass Shootings in the U.S.

The Fort Stewart shooting, which injured five people, meets the criteria for a mass shooting as defined by the nonprofit Gun Violence Archive, which counts any incident with four or more people injured or killed, not including the attacker.

The incident is part of a broader national trend. The Gun Violence Archive has recorded a decline in mass shootings compared to this point in previous years, but the total figures remain high:

• 2021: 689 mass shootings
• 2022: 644 mass shootings
• 2023: 659 mass shootings
• 2024: 503 mass shootings

Sergeant Radford is currently in pretrial confinement, awaiting a charging decision by the Office of the Special Trial Counsel. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are working to determine the full context and motivation behind the attack.