Fort Stewart, Georgia — One of the nation’s largest Army installations was rocked by gunfire Wednesday morning when an Army sergeant allegedly shot five fellow soldiers before being subdued by quick-acting troops, prompting a brief lockdown of the base.
Officials identified the suspected gunman as Sgt. Quornelius Radford, 28, who allegedly opened fire with a personal handgun, not a government-issued weapon.
The incident occurred within the area where Radford was assigned to work, though authorities declined to speculate on a motive.
According to Brig. Gen. John Lubas, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, the immediate actions of nearby soldiers prevented the tragedy from becoming much worse.
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“These soldiers, without a doubt, prevented further casualties or wounded,” Lubas said, praising those who tackled Radford and restrained him until military police arrived.
All five victims were transported to nearby hospitals and are in stable condition. Three of the soldiers underwent surgery and are expected to recover, officials confirmed.
The shooting occurred shortly before 11 a.m. inside the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team complex. Law enforcement responded swiftly, and Radford was in custody by 11:35 a.m. The base was placed on lockdown for roughly an hour, with normal gate operations resuming shortly afterward.
This violent act once again raises serious concerns about safety on U.S. military bases — facilities designed to be among the most secure in the country.
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The Army has launched an official investigation, with the FBI assisting in gathering evidence and interviewing witnesses. Deputy Director Dan Bongino confirmed the bureau’s involvement in the case.
Radford enlisted in the Army in January 2018, serving as a supply sergeant. Records show he has not been deployed overseas.
Prior to the shooting, he faced unrelated legal trouble — a court hearing was scheduled for August 20 in Hinesville, Georgia, stemming from a May 18 traffic incident in which he was accused of driving under the influence and running a red light just after 1 a.m.
He was administered a blood test and released on $1,818 bond.
His attorney in the traffic case, Sneh Patel, confirmed he is not representing Radford in connection with the shooting. Patel declined to discuss his client’s circumstances, citing attorney-client privilege.
A phone number listed for Radford in public records went unanswered Wednesday.
The 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, also known as the “Spartan Brigade,” was formed in 2016 when more than 200 vehicles were added to an infantry unit of approximately 4,200 soldiers. The Army describes it as its “most modern land fighting force.”
Fort Stewart itself spans roughly 280,000 acres about 40 miles southwest of Savannah, making it the largest Army post east of the Mississippi River. It serves as the headquarters for the 3rd Infantry Division and houses thousands of soldiers along with their families.
White House and Pentagon officials confirmed that President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had been briefed on the situation.
Military base shootings, while rare, have had devastating consequences in recent years.
Among the deadliest was the 2009 Fort Hood massacre in Texas, when a U.S. Army psychiatrist killed 13 people and wounded more than 30 others.
Fort Hood experienced another tragedy in 2014, when a soldier killed three people and injured more than a dozen before taking his own life.
Other incidents have occurred across different branches of the armed forces. In 2013, a defense contractor and former Navy reservist killed 12 people at the Washington Navy Yard before being shot and killed by police.
In 2019, an aviation student at Naval Air Station Pensacola in Florida opened fire in a classroom, killing three people and injuring a dozen more, including two sheriff’s deputies.
Just days earlier, a U.S. Navy sailor fatally shot two civilian workers at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard in Hawaii before killing himself.
Wednesday’s events at Fort Stewart join this grim list of violent episodes within the U.S. military’s own walls.
The Army’s investigation will focus on uncovering the circumstances that led to the shooting, the exact sequence of events, and any warning signs that may have been overlooked.
For now, officials say the focus remains on the recovery of the injured soldiers and the well-being of the Fort Stewart community.
While the suspect sits in custody awaiting charges, the base and its personnel will be grappling with the unsettling reality that violence erupted from within their own ranks.
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