Multiple soldiers “immediately and without hesitation” tackled another soldier who had shot five others at Fort Stewart, Georgia, the base commander said Wednesday.
The incident left five soldiers wounded but in “stable” condition and expected to recover, Brig Gen. John Lubas, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, said at a press conference Wednesday afternoon. The injured soldiers were treated on scene by emergency medical personnel and then evacuated to Winn Army Community Hospital on base. Three of the soldiers shot in the incident required surgery, Lubas said.
Base officials said the shooter was Sgt. Quornelius Radford, 28, an automated logistical specialist with the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team. Radford did not have previous combat deployments, Lubas said.
The incident occurred in the section of base occupied by the 2ABCT, a small complex on the North side of the main post. Law enforcement was dispatched to the complex a few minutes before 11 a.m. and the installation went into lockdown minutes later, base officials wrote in a Facebook post.
Lubas said Radford was being questioned by Army investigators and is awaiting pretrial confinement. The weapon Radford used in the attack, Lubas said, was a personal handgun, not a military weapon. Lubas said base officials had discovered after Radford’s arrest that he had been arrested for driving under the influence, but had not informed his command of the arrest.
Lt. Col. Angel Tomko, a spokesperson for the 3rd Infantry Division, said it was “unconfirmed” if Radford was injured during the incident.
Tomko said the base would not release the identities of the wounded soldiers, pending notifications of their families. She also said that officials would not speculate about the shooter’s motives.The 2ABCT is part of the 3rd Infantry Division, which is headquartered at Fort Stewart. About 10,000 active duty soldiers and their family members live on the installation, according to U.S. census information, while just over 50,000 residents live in and around nearby Hinesville, Georgia.
This is a breaking news story. Task & Purpose will continue to update it as more information becomes available.
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