Suspect behind US Army base shooting that left five soldiers injured identified as 28-year-old fellow officer

By Jacob Paul

The suspect behind a shooting at a US Army base in Georgia has been identified after five soldiers were injured on Wednesday.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

US officials have confirmed the suspected shooter as 28-year-old Sgt. Quornelius Radford - a fellow army officer serving at the same base.

The suspect was taken into custody where he remains, according to army officials, who confirmed no other suspects have been identified.

The shooting happened just after 11am local time at the Fort Stewart military base, Georgia, with all soldiers injured in the shooting said to be in stable conditions at the military hospital.

“What we know is the soldier, the shooting occurred at the soldiers place of work. It did involve his co-workers,” Brig. Gen. John Lubas said during a news conference today.

“We’re still not certain about the motivations,” he added.

Around 15,000 active duty soldiers reside to the base, according to the a US Defence Department.

The base is also said to be home to around 16,000 family members and 4,000 civilian employees.

The tragedy comes just a year after Staff Sergeant Meiziaha T. Cooper, 30, was found dead alongside her husband and two children at the military base in November 2023.

Read more: Two Ghanaian ministers among eight killed in helicopter crash

Read more: France's largest wildfire of the year leaves at least one dead and forces thousands to evacuate

He said soldiers in the area that witnessed the shooting "immediately, and without hesitation, tackled the soldier, subdued him, and allowed law enforcement to then take him into custody".

The suspect has since been interviewed by Army investigators, Gen. Lubas added.

It's also been revealed that the suspect was previously arrested in May for driving under the influence, an insider told the Mail Online.

"I do believe he was arrested locally for a DUI that was unknown to his chain of command until the event occurred," he said.

"Five soldiers were shot today in an active shooter incident in the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team area. All soldiers were treated on-site and moved to Winn Army Community Hospital for further treatment. There is no active threat to the community,” the base said in a Facebook post.

The injured soldiers were treated on-site before being moved to hospital for further treatment. It remains unclear how serious are the injuries.

"The installation was locked down at 11.04am and law enforcement is on the scene at the time," an earlier Facebook post read. "Casualties have been reported and the situation is ongoing."

Brian Kemp, Governor of Georgia, wrote on X that he and his family are "saddened" by the tragedy.

"As we remain in close contact with law enforcement on the ground, Marty, the girls, and I are saddened by today’s tragedy at Ft. Stewart," he posted on X.

"We are keeping the victims, their families, and all those who answer the call to serve in our hearts and prayers, and we ask that Georgians everywhere do the same."

Video shared on social media shows military personnel evacuating from the scene.

Congressman Buddy Carter, whose district includes Fort Stewart, said he was "monitoring the situation".

"Please join me in prayers for the casualties, their families, and the brave law enforcement officers working to protect our community," he wrote on X.

Located about 40 miles south-west of Savannah, Fort Stewart is the largest army post east of the Mississippi River.