Fort Stewart shooting: Army honors soldiers who subdued gunman

HINESVILLE, Ga. - Six U.S. Army soldiers were awarded medals for heroism Thursday morning after stepping in to stop a deadly workplace shooting at Fort Stewart and providing aid to the wounded.

Fort Stewart soldiers honored

What they're saying:

During the ceremony, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll praised the soldiers’ quick-thinking actions, saying they likely prevented more deaths.

According to Driscoll, one soldier tackled the suspected gunman, identified as 28-year-old Sgt. Quornelius Radford, before another jumped on top of him and wrestled away his firearm. The other four soldiers immediately began treating the five wounded service members.

"One of the things that I can say unequivocally is that the fast action of these soldiers, under stress and under trauma and under fire, absolutely saved lives from being lost," Driscoll said.

Radford is accused of opening fire on fellow soldiers—his coworkers—inside a Fort Stewart facility. The Army confirmed the weapon used was his personal firearm, not a military-issued gun. Investigators have not released a motive.

Three of the five wounded soldiers have been released from the hospital and returned home, officials said. One is expected to be discharged this weekend, while another remains hospitalized with more serious injuries.

The incident has reignited national conversations around gun violence and workplace safety. Politicians from both parties offered thoughts and prayers in the aftermath, while advocates and lawmakers once again debated solutions.

Rep. Buddy Carter, who represents the area, called for improved mental health resources for military personnel. "The mental health aspect is something that has to be addressed," he said. "It’s not the entire problem, but it is certainly a big part of it."

Emma Brown, head of gun violence prevention group, argued that red flag laws and stronger background checks could help prevent similar tragedies. "We are allowing people who are clearly in crisis to access firearms," she said.

But Rep. Carter expressed concern that such measures may infringe on constitutional rights. "We can’t overreact in a way that impacts law-abiding citizens," he said.

The Army said Radford remains in custody, though no charges have been announced as of yet. Officials added that Radford's unit had not seen any warning signs before the incident, and the investigation remains ongoing.

MORE: Fort Stewart rapid response: Former safety chief says Army emergency policies, protocols helped save lives

Fort Stewart shooting investigation

The backstory:

Army Sgt. Quornelius Radford, 28, of Jacksonville, Florida, allegedly shot five fellow service members with a personal handgun in Fort Stewart's 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team area.

The shooting caused the Army post near Savannah and multiple school systems to go into lockdown for hours on Wednesday.

Of the five soldiers who were wounded, three were released on Wednesday. One soldier is currently recovering at the base, but officials say she "remains in high spirits." The last soldier is at Savannah Memorial Community Hospital. Doctors are hopeful she will make a complete recovery.

While the victims have not been identified, officials say they were all Radford's co-workers.

MORE: Five soldiers injured in shooting at Fort Stewart in Georgia | What we know about the victims

What they're saying:

At a press conference on Thursday, Brigadier Gen. John Lubas praised the soldiers' "incredibly fast response" after hearing the shots.

"No one hesitated," he said. 

He said one of the soldiers tackled Radford before another jumped on top of him and wrestled the gun away. The other four soldiers quickly went to work treating the injured. 

The soldiers didn’t have firearms to shoot back because of a policy first enacted decades ago to ensure safety by limiting armed members on army bases to military police. 

Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll praised the six, saying they "put themselves in harms way yesterday to take care of their fellow soldiers."

"They are everything that is good about this nation. They are the best among us in the country. They are the best in the Army," he said. 

He said he met with families of the victims, describing the situation as "heartbreaking."

"We tried to convey from the president, the vice president and the secretary of defense that the entire nation mourns with them," he said.

First Sgt. Joshua Arnold was one of the soldiers who jumped into action to help take care of the wounded during the intense situation.

He said that he didn't process the situation when he heard the first gunshot, but then realized what was happening and went to help.

"Our training kicked in. Mine kicked in, and you just go to work," Arnold said.

Staff Sgt. Melissa Taylor worked on the other side of the building and arrived at the scene to find one of her fellow service members shot.

"I immediately sprinted over to the soldier and started rendering aid," she said.

When asked what she did after the situation was over, Taylor's answer was simple. She went home and made her children their favorite dinner. 

Who is Sgt. Quornelius Radford?

Dig deeper:

Officials said Radford used a personal handgun in the shooting, not a military weapon. Officials are investigating how Radford got the weapon on base.

Radford had no known prior discipline or mental health issues reported on base, but officials said they are still investigating. However, after the shooting, Lubas said officials learned Radford had been arrested for a DUI. FOX 5 has learned that the arrest took place in Liberty County on May 18.

Army records show that Radford enlisted in January 2018. He worked as a supply sergeant and has not been deployed.

What's next:

The Army said it’s investigating the shooting. There are still many unanswered questions, including the shooter’s motive.

Driscoll said that they want to learn from the investigation to improve safety at Fort Stewart and other Army posts around the world.

"We do not want something like this to ever happen again on an Army base," he said.

The soldiers will have time to talk with counselors.

GeorgiaMilitaryNewsCrime and Public Safety