Fort Stewart Soldiers Hailed as Heroes After Halting Base Shooting
A mass shooting at Georgia’s Fort Stewart military installation was brought to a swift end on Wednesday thanks to the courageous actions of several soldiers who tackled the suspected gunman moments after he opened fire.
The alleged shooter, identified as 28-year-old Sgt. Quornelius Radford, reportedly used a personal handgun in the attack, which left five fellow soldiers wounded — three of whom required surgery. All injured personnel are currently in stable condition and are expected to recover.
Brigadier General John Lubas, speaking to reporters during a press briefing, credited the rapid response of servicemembers who witnessed the shooting.
“Soldiers who witnessed the shooting immediately and without hesitation tackled the shooter so he could be brought into custody,” Lubas stated. “Their actions prevented what could have been a far more tragic outcome.”
The shooting occurred at Radford’s workplace within the base and involved his coworkers, according to Lubas. Authorities have not yet released a motive, though Radford is being interviewed by Army investigators.
Radford, who serves as an Automated Logistics Sergeant with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, had no known combat deployments or disciplinary history prior to the incident. Officials are investigating how he managed to bring a firearm into a secured area.
“We’re going to have to determine how he was able to get a handgun to his place of duty,” Lubas said, adding that base leadership remains confident in the installation’s overall security measures.
A potential DUI charge from May has surfaced during the investigation, though Lubas noted that this information only came to light during post-incident background checks and was not previously known to Radford’s chain of command.
Radford is currently in pre-trial confinement, and the case has been referred to the Office of Special Trial Counsel, which is expected to determine formal charges in the coming days.
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