Five soldiers are in stable condition and expected to recover from their injuries after a shooting Wednesday morning at Fort Stewart Army base in Georgia, officials said.
At a press conference Wednesday afternoon, a spokesperson for the 3rd Infantry Division said the investigation into the incident is still ongoing and authorities are not yet releasing the identities of the victims.
The suspected shooter was identified as Sgt. Quornelius Radford, 28, by Brig. Gen. John Lubas, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division and Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield. The suspect is currently being held in pre-trial confinement.
Lubas would not speculate on a possible motive, but he said the shooting involved Radford’s co-workers. Authorities believe the weapon the shooter used was a personal handgun and not military issue.
“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," Lubas said Wednesday.
Earlier Wednesday, Fort Stewart posted to social media that five soldiers were shot in “an active shooter incident in the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team area.”
The statement continued:
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.
In its initial statement on the incident, the base said that “casualties have been reported.” Officials later stated that all five soldiers injured in the attack are expected to recover.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said his office is in close contact with law enforcement on the ground.
“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,” he wrote in a post on social media.
President Donald Trump has been briefed on the situation, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
Fort Stewart is located about 40 miles southwest of Savannah and is home to thousands of soldiers assigned to the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, according to The Associated Press. The base posted an “all clear” notice shortly before 2 p.m. ET.
Officials said Wednesday that Radford is from Jacksonville, Florida, and joined the Army in January 2018. He is listed as an automated logistical specialist, assigned to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team at Fort Stewart, NBC News reported.
Radford was previously arrested by local authorities for alleged drunken driving, but his commanding officers were not made aware of the incident, according to officials.
A 2022 shooting at Fort Stewart killed Army Sgt. Nathan Hillman, 30, of Pennsylvania. The suspected shooter, Spc. Shay Wilson of New York, was charged with murder. Hillman and Wilson served in the same unit.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.