Army sergeant wants to plead guilty in Georgia base shootings that injured 5
SAVANNAH, Georgia — An Army sergeant accused of shooting and wounding five colleagues at a southeast Georgia base last summer is seeking to plead guilty to attempted murder and other charges in military court, Army prosecutors announced Thursday.
Authorities say Sgt. Quornelius Radford, 28, used a personal handgun to open fire on members of his supply unit at Fort Stewart in August. Gunfire wounded four soldiers and a civilian worker, who was Radford’s romantic partner, before bystanders disarmed and overpowered the sergeant, prosecutors said.
A military judge scheduled Radford’s court-martial trial in June after Radford pleaded not guilty last fall to 13 criminal charges: six counts of attempted murder, six counts of aggravated assault and one count of domestic violence. Prosecutors say there were six victims in total, including one person Radford shot and missed.
Radford is now seeking to plead guilty to a reduced set of charges, according to the Army Office of Special Counsel, which is prosecuting Radford.
He said in a news release Thursday that Radford’s attorneys told a military judge last week that Radford wanted to plead guilty to two counts of attempted murder, three counts of aggravated assault and one count of domestic violence.
Radford’s lead defense attorney, Lt. Col. Dylan Mack, did not immediately respond to an email message seeking comment.
The Army’s online court filing shows Radford’s plea status changed from “not guilty” to “plead guilty” ahead of his next scheduled hearing on March 31. That’s when the judge plans to consider Radford’s change of plea, prosecutors said.
Army prosecutors said they did not negotiate a plea deal with Radford, meaning he would still face a life sentence in prison if a military judge accepted his guilty plea.
Authorities have not offered a suspected motive for the shooting. Radford has been held in custody since his arrest.
The largest military post east of the Mississippi River, Fort Stewart is home to thousands of troops assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division. It is located approximately 40 miles (64 kilometers) southwest of Savannah.
Radford served as a supply sergeant in the division’s 2nd Armored Brigade. Military records show he enlisted in 2018.
On August 6, troopers from Radford’s unit followed the sound of gunfire into the hallways of an office building where they found hazy gun smoke in the air and injured victims on the floor and in nearby offices.
Brig. Gen. John Lubas, commander of the 3rd Infantry, credited the soldiers with saving lives by immediately providing first aid, in some cases using their bare hands to staunch bleeding from gunshot wounds.
Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll visited Fort Stewart the day after the shooting to award meritorious service medals to six soldiers who helped subdue the shooter and treat the victims.
