Who is Quornelius Radford? Accused in Fort Stewart Shooting in Georgia Taken into Custody
Military authorities have so far not found any behavioural warnings before the incident.
The accused who opened fire at a US Army base in Georgia has been taken into custody, as per the Associated Press. He has been identified as 28-year-old Quornelius Samentrio Radford, an acting Army sergeant.
Initial inputs from Georgia suggest that Radford used a personal handgun, not a weapon issued by the military. However, the reason behind the shooting is still not known.
Radford is serving as an automated logistics sergeant attached to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team. According to NBC, he does not have any known combat experience. It has also come to light that Radford was arrested in May for a DUI (driving under the influence). However, Brigadier General John Lubas, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, stated during a press conference on Wednesday that Radford’s superiors were unaware of the DUI arrest until after the shooting.
“I do believe he was arrested locally for a DUI. That was not known to his commanding officers until after the event occurred and we began checking law enforcement records,” said Lubas.
So far, military authorities have not come across any prior signs of troubling behaviour. “The investigation is still in its early stages, but I am not aware of any such indicators as of now,” Lubas further said. He confirmed that Radford has been posted at Fort Stewart since 2022, with no earlier record of combat service or disciplinary action in the Army.
The firing took place around 10:56 am local time on Wednesday at Fort Stewart, located near Hinesville. Radford opened fire close to the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team (2ABCT) zone, injuring five fellow soldiers. After the attack, the base was placed under lockdown at around 11:04 am. Radford was captured by 11:35 am, and the lockdown was lifted within an hour.
All the injured soldiers are now out of danger. Some were provided first aid at the spot before being shifted to Winn Army Community Hospital, as per a Facebook update by base officials. Others were taken to Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah, spokesperson Bryna Gordon informed.
