A report indicates that the Army sergeant facing accusations of shooting five soldiers at a Georgia military base had previously been seen as a “hardworking” individual who dealt with bullying linked to speech difficulties.
Sergeant Quannelius Radford, 28, allegedly discharged a firearm at a fellow soldier at Fort Stewart on Wednesday morning. Former Army members noted that he was subjected to bullying due to a stuttering issue during his 2018 advanced training at Fortrey, according to reports.
Sgt. Cameron Barrett, a friend of Radford from that time, shared that he often became a target. “He was bullied a lot,” Barrett said.
Another sergeant, Carlos Coleman, who served alongside Radford at Fort Lee, remarked that the gunman became increasingly quiet after experiencing laughter at his speech impediment. “It was easy for people to tease him the way he spoke,” Coleman noted. “He really didn’t talk much after that.” He expressed surprise at the situation, adding, “I’ve never seen him mad.”
Former colleague Cassandra Cobb described Radford as diligent, though he also displayed moments of foolishness during lunch breaks, as reported. All three expressed shock upon hearing that Radford was named as a shooter at the base.
“I want to know what pushed him to that point,” Coleman pondered, reflecting on the troubling turn of events.
Radford had previously posted on Facebook about the loss of a loved one in a car accident, revealing his struggles with grief and mention of alcohol as a coping mechanism.
In May, he was arrested for a minor driving offense in Hinesville, which is close to the base.
Just before the shooting, Radford allegedly sent a troubling message to his aunt, saying he felt loved but was trying to improve his situation.
His father, Eddie Radford, mentioned to reporters that his son was requesting a transfer from Fort Stewart due to ongoing experiences of racism there.
Radford, who enlisted in 2018, has been stationed at Fort Stewart since 2022.
During the incident, he reportedly fired upon several unarmed soldiers in his unit, injuring five before being controlled. The injured soldiers are expected to recover at Winn Army Community Hospital.
Each of the wounded soldiers was later honored with a merit service medal.
