A U.S. Army sergeant has been taken into custody after allegedly shooting and wounding five fellow soldiers at Fort Stewart’s 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team area on Wednesday morning, military officials confirmed.
The incident, which took place around 10:56 a.m., involved Sgt. Quornelius Radford, 28, an automated logistical specialist from Jacksonville, Florida. Radford was apprehended at 11:35 a.m. and is currently in pretrial confinement, according to Brig. Gen. John Lubas, commanding officer of the 3rd Infantry Division and Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield.
All five injured personnel are receiving medical care and are expected to recover. Two of the victims were airlifted to Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah, a Level 1 trauma facility located approximately 40 miles from the base.
Security Response and Containment
Lubas commended the swift action of fellow soldiers who subdued Radford at the scene. “Brave soldiers immediately intervened and tackled the suspect. Without a doubt, they prevented further casualties,” he said during a press briefing.
The installation was briefly placed on lockdown during the response. All lockdown measures have since been lifted.
Ongoing Investigation
The motive for the shooting remains unclear. Lubas stated that the incident occurred at Radford’s workplace and involved his co-workers. The weapon used was a personally owned handgun, though authorities are still investigating how it was brought onto the military installation.
Access to firearms on military bases is tightly regulated. Weapons used for training are stored in secured armories and are not accessible outside of approved exercises. While service members may possess personally registered firearms, there are stringent rules governing their transport and storage on base.
Radford has no record of combat deployments, according to Lubas. However, he had a prior arrest for driving under the influence (DUI) in the local area. This information was reportedly unknown to his chain of command until after the shooting.
“There were no known behavioral or disciplinary concerns prior to this incident,” Lubas added, reaffirming confidence in the base’s internal security protocols.
Federal and State Response
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp responded to the development via social media, stating:
“We are keeping the victims, their families, and all those who answer the call to serve in our hearts and prayers.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that President Donald Trump has been briefed on the situation.
The incident has raised questions around personal firearm access on military installations. U.S. military policy restricts the possession and use of personal weapons on base unless registered and stored in compliance with base regulations. Unauthorized possession or concealed carry within workspaces is a violation of military policy.
Historically, shootings involving military personnel on base are rare, though not unprecedented. The 2009 Fort Hood shooting, where 13 people were killed by a fellow soldier, remains the deadliest such incident. The Fort Stewart shooting has reignited discussions on internal threat mitigation, mental health surveillance, and weapon control policies within the armed forces.
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