Five American soldiers are recovering in hospital after a US Army sergeant allegedly opened fire on his own comrades at a vast military base in Georgia, triggering a dramatic lockdown and a swift armed response.
The suspect, named as Sgt Quornelius Radford of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, is accused of using his personal handgun, not a military-issued weapon, to target fellow troops at Fort Stewart on Thursday morning.
Gunfire erupted at 10:56 local time (15:56 GMT) at the 280,000-acre base, which houses nearly 10,000 personnel. Within 39 minutes, the threat was over as “brave soldiers” tackled Radford to the ground, preventing what could have been a far greater tragedy.
Brigadier General John Lubas, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, praised those who intervened.
“They immediately and without hesitation tackled the suspect and subdued him, allowing police to take him into custody. Without a doubt, they prevented more harm,” he said.
All five soldiers injured are in stable condition, though three required surgery. Radford, who has never deployed to a combat zone, is now in pre-trial confinement while Army investigators work to determine a motive.
It later emerged that he had a prior arrest for drink-driving, though the Army was unaware of this before the shooting. Security officials are also investigating how he managed to bring a firearm onto the base.
The lockdown created tense scenes on Fort Stewart. A Burger King manager on the base described pulling her staff into a secure safe room as updates filtered through social media.
“I wasn’t worried about the food, I was worried about my crew,” she told BBC News. “It’s my job to keep them safe.”
Some people sheltered in cars in the drive-through queue, while others hid in nearby buildings until the all-clear was given.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp urged residents to keep the victims in their prayers, while then-President Donald Trump labelled the shooting “an atrocity” and promised justice.
Fort Stewart, located around 40 miles (64km) southwest of Savannah near the town of Hinesville, is the largest US Army base east of the Mississippi River and serves as the headquarters of the 3rd Infantry Division.
