This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
[UPDATED 5:30 P.M.] Fort Stewart officials confirmed Wednesday that five soldiers were “wounded in an active shooter incident in the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team area.” Officials also said a suspect, Sgt. Quornelius Radford, 28, is in custody after he allegedly brought a non-military weapon to his post and fired on coworkers, wounding 5.
Brig. Gen. John Lubas, Commanding General of the 3rd Infantry Division, said in a press conference Wednesday afternoon, “This one’s a bit difficult, and we’re going to have to determine how he was able to get a handgun to his place of duty.”
However, Lubas said he was “very confident in the security of this installation. We’ve got a great partnership with local law enforcement. As you can see here at our gates, we have armed guards and protective equipment.”
Radford, an active duty Automated logistics sergeant assigned to the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, entered his workplace with what the Army believes was a personal handgun and shot 5 coworkers. Lubas said other soldiers quickly subdued Radford and that the Army’s Criminal Investigations Division (CID) had already interviewed him. Radford is being held in pretrial confinement, “awaiting a charging decision by the Office of Special Counsel,” Lubas said.
All 5 of the soldiers who were shot were taken to Winn Army Hospital; 3 required surgery and 2 were transported from Winn to Memorial Hospital in Savannah. Officials at HCA Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah confirmed 2 patients had been brought to the trauma unit there.
“Right now, our primary focus is first on caring for our injured soldiers and their families, and also supporting the soldiers of the Spartan Brigade,” Lubas said. “All of the families of the victims have been notified and we’re wrapping our arms around them and ensuring we provide them all the support that we can.”
Labus praised the quick action of other soldiers who took down the suspect “immediately and without hesitation.”
“I’d like to recognize and thank our Army law enforcement, medical personnel, and our partners from local, state, and federal law enforcement and emergency services for their quick response and support,” he said. “I would also like to thank the brave soldiers who immediately intervened and subdued the shooter. These soldiers, without a doubt, prevented further casualties.”
Radford had previously been arrested for driving under the influence, Lubas said, and that the soldier’s chain of command had not known of the arrest “until we started looking into the law enforcement databases.”
Officials are currently not aware of any motivations or intentions behind the shooting and said there is no continued threat to the local community.
The incident prompted a lockdown of the base and Hunter Army Airfield at 11:04 a.m. That lockdown had been lifted, Lubas said, adding that at no time had there been a threat to the community.
Liberty County schools near the base — Button Gwinnett, Snelson Golden, and Joseph Martin — were “placed on soft lockdown out of an abundance of caution” on the first day of classes. LCSS Public Relations Director Genese L. Baker told The Current that no other schools in the system had been locked down.
At 12:30 p.m., all schools on base resumed normal operations.
Mid-Coast Regional Airport at Wright Army Airfield also shut down for a time but has since reopened, according to a man who answered the phone there at 1:01 p.m.
People on base were told to lock windows and doors and stay inside.
A source with the Liberty County Sheriff’s Department confirmed that deputies had provided support but deferred comment to the base. Liberty County Sheriff William Bowman and Chief Deputy Al Hagan were present later at the Fort Stewart press conference but did not speak.
Fort Stewart issued this statement:
“All Soldiers were treated on-site and moved to Winn Army Community Hospital for further treatment. There is no active threat to the community.
“Law enforcement was dispatched for a possible shooting in the 2nd ABCT complex at 10:56 a.m. The shooter was apprehended at 11:35 a.m.
“The installation was locked down at 11:04 a.m. and Fort Stewart lifted the lockdown of the main cantonment area at 12:10 p.m. 2nd ABCT complex is still locked down.
“Emergency medical personnel were dispatched to treat the wounded Soldiers at 11:09 a.m.
“The incident remains under investigation and no additional information will be released until the investigation is complete.”
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