US Army Sergeant Charged After Shooting at Georgia Base
A sergeant in the U.S. Army has been charged with attempted murder and other serious offenses following a shooting incident involving five fellow soldiers at a Georgia military base.
Quornelius Radford, 28, made his first appearance in the military courtroom at Fort Stewart on Tuesday. Authorities allege that he opened fire on his supply squad using a personal handgun. Following the hearing, he was ordered to remain in pretrial confinement.
Radford’s arrest took place on August 6, after other soldiers disarmed him and held him until military police arrived.
Fortunately, all five soldiers who were shot survived. Radford now faces six counts of attempted murder after it was revealed that he also fired at a sixth individual but missed, according to Michelle McCaskill, a spokesperson for the Army’s Special Trial Advisors Office, which is prosecuting the case.
In addition to the murder charges, he is facing one count of aggravated assault and six charges related to domestic violence.
“One of the victims was in a close relationship with the accused, which is why those charges were included,” McCaskill stated.
Interestingly, Radford’s partner is uncertain if he was involved in the incident. The Army has not released the names of any of the victims, adding a layer of complexity to the case.
Fort Stewart officials have not provided any details regarding the motives behind the shooting.
Attempted murder under military law carries a possible life sentence. During the hearing on Tuesday, Radford had legal representation from an Army defense attorney; however, calls to Fort Stewart’s Court Defense Service were not answered.
Having been charged, Radford now faces pretrial motions to determine if there is sufficient evidence for him to stand trial.
Fort Stewart, home to the largest army east of the Mississippi, houses thousands of soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Division. It is approximately 40 miles southwest of Savannah.
Radford served as a supply sergeant within the second armored brigade, enlisting in 2018.
Witness accounts from soldiers in Radford’s squad revealed that they heard gunfire and rushed to the office building’s hallways, where they encountered a haze of smoke and found the injured on the floor and in nearby offices.
Brig. General John Levas, commander of the 3rd Infantry, expressed his belief that the first aid rendered soon after the incident saved lives. The day following the shooting, Secretary of War Dan Driscoll visited Fort Stewart to honor six soldiers who played pivotal roles in subduing the gunman and providing aid to the victims.
