Latest news with #QuorneliusRadford
The Guardian
2 days ago
- The Guardian
Fort Stewart shooting suspect was relentlessly mocked for stutter, soldiers say
A friend of the man accused of gunning down five fellow soldiers at the Fort Stewart army base in Georgia earlier this week recounted how the suspect had been repeatedly bullied for having a serious stutter, according to a news report. Meanwhile, soldiers who acted swiftly to suppress the gunman and prevent the possibility of a much higher death toll were being hailed as heroes for their bravery in the terrifying moments after shots rang out on the sprawling military base on Wednesday morning. The man in custody for the shooting, Sgt Quornelius Radford, 28, was relentlessly mocked and mimicked for his speech impediment, from the earliest days of his army career, NBC News reported on Thursday. 'He got bullied a lot. It was very bad to the point where he could barely talk,' Sgt Cameron Barrett, 28, a friend of Radford's, said in an interview with the TV network. No motive has been officially discussed in the aftermath of the incident, amid the criminal investigation, in which five service members were wounded by gunfire and rushed to the hospital, although they are expected to recover. Another soldier who had worked alongside Radford earlier in his career said that the sergeant had also lost a loved one in a traffic accident in January, and had taken it hard. The suspect's father has said his son complained of experiencing racism. When initial reports that there was a shooting began to reach soldiers on the base south-west of Savannah, Barrett said to NBC that he messaged Radford to ask if he was all right, but did not get a response. Meanwhile, Sgt Aaron Turner recounted to the Associated Press that he was helping lock down a supply warehouse at Fort Stewart when he saw a fellow soldier walking past, wearing a hooded sweatshirt over his uniform and holding a handgun – after shots had already been fired. Instead of ducking for cover, Turner said, he approached the gunman and started talking – asking what he was doing there and where he was heading. When he got close enough, Turner grabbed the soldier's gun and took him to the ground, where soldiers held him down until military police arrived. 'I was able to keep a cool head, but pretty much my training ended up kicking in,' Turner said on Thursday. 'It wasn't about my life at that point. It was about the soldiers.' The US army secretary, Dan Driscoll, came to Fort Stewart on Thursday to praise Turner and five other soldiers for their quick actions in subduing the gunman to prevent further bloodshed and rendering life-saving aid to the victims. Driscoll awarded each of them the meritorious service medal. 'The fast action of these soldiers under stress and under trauma and under fire absolutely saved lives from being lost,' Driscoll said at a news conference afterward. Authorities say Radford used a personal handgun in the shootings, not a service weapon. Fort Stewart officials have not said why he opened fire, citing the criminal investigation. Radford worked as a supply sergeant assigned to the 703rd brigade support battalion of the third infantry's 2nd armored brigade at Fort Stewart, the largest US army post east of the Mississippi River, and home to thousands of soldiers. The battalion's commander, Lt Col Mike Sanford, said on Thursday that he's unaware of any problems with Radford or arguments that preceded the shootings. 'Right now, there's no signs that there was an issue,' Sanford said in an interview. Radford's father, Eddie Radford of Jacksonville, Florida, said in an interview with the New York Times that his son had sought a transfer and complained to his family about racism at the base. Radford, who is Black, texted an aunt shortly before the shooting and 'said that he loved everybody, and that he'll be in a better place because he was about to go and do something', Eddie Radford said. Sgt Carlos Coleman, who worked with Radford early on after the latter joined the army in 2018, also spoke to NBC about the man's stutter. 'It was easy for those people to make fun of him for the way he spoke. After that, he really didn't speak that much,' he said.
CNN
2 days ago
- CNN
Minutes before gunfire erupted at Fort Stewart, the shooting suspect texted his family saying ‘I love y'all,' uncle says
Crime Gun violenceFacebookTweetLink Follow 'I just want y'all to know that I love y'all, and I tried my hardest to be the best I could be,' Sgt. Quornelius Samentrio Radford texted his relatives at least 20 minutes before he began shooting at fellow soldiers earlier this week at his military base in Georgia. 'My time is slowly coming to an end. I choose my destiny and my faith. I might not be with my mama, but I'm gonna be in a better place,' the enigmatic group text message read, his uncle, Joe Mitchell, told CNN affiliate WTLV. Radford, 28, wounded five of his peers at Fort Stewart Army base with a personal handgun before he was subdued by other soldiers nearby, authorities have said. All five soldiers are in stable condition, Brig. Gen. John Lubas, the commanding general of the 3rd Infantry Division, said at a news conference Wednesday. 'Please don't talk like that,' one message in response to Radford said. 'Call me, don't talk like this bro,' another said. 'Don't do whatever going on, you gonna be okay,' a different family member wrote. But despite desperate pleas from family members, what unfolded after Radford's messages has left many loved ones with looming questions over what led up to the shooting, his motive, and how someone they know to be a kind and loving family guy could commit such violence. Radford joined the Army in 2018 as an automated logistical specialist and was assigned to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, the US Army said. His role involved handling supplies and warehouse operations and he had not deployed to a combat zone, Lubas, the general said. The native Floridian had been arrested for driving under the influence in May – an arrest his chain of command didn't know about before the incident, Lubas said. Radford had no known behavioral incidents in his military record, according to the general. A day before the shooting, Radford had a disagreement with one of the shooting victims, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the case. It's unclear what the disagreement was about. He followed that coworker to a maintenance area on Wednesday and shot him in the chest before shooting four others. While Radford's motive remains unknown, details about his character and issues he faced in and out of the workplace have emerged from loved ones and former coworkers. His father, Eddie Radford, told The New York Times that he hadn't noticed any unusual behavior from his son recently and didn't know what might have motivated the shooting. He did, however, say his son had complained to the family about racism at Fort Stewart and had been seeking a transfer, according to the Times, which did not publish any specifics. CNN has reached out to Eddie Radford for more information. Fort Stewart declined to comment on the racism allegation and whether Radford had requested a transfer. 'The circumstances that led to the events (on Wednesday) are currently under investigation,' a spokesperson for the 3rd Infantry Division told CNN. As Radford's military career began in 2018, so did relentless bullying over his stutter, two former coworkers told NBC. Sneh Patel, an attorney that represented Radford during his DUI case, also confirmed to CNN that 'he has a stuttering condition,' although he wouldn't disclose much more due to client-attorney privilege, he said. 'He got bullied a lot,' Sgt. Cameron Barrett, who became friends with Radford during an Army training program, told NBC. 'It was very bad to the point where he could barely talk.' People would mock Radford by also pretending to have a stutter, Barrett said, adding the apparent speech impediment was a 'trigger' for Radford, but he endured the treatment by being silent, showing no signs of anger or resentment, Barrett and other soldiers told the network. CNN has reached out to those soldiers for more information. Since the shooting, Radford has been interviewed by the Army Criminal Investigation Division and is now sitting in pretrial confinement as he waits for a charging decision by the Office of the Special Trial Counsel, Lubas said Wednesday afternoon. As for his family, Mitchell told WTLV he's still asking himself questions, even days after the shooting. 'I was just one phone call away,' Mitchell said. 'I wish we could have talked about it, and it would have never happened. But we just leave it in God's hands.' CNN's Danya Gainor and Mark Morales contributed to this report.
CNN
2 days ago
- CNN
Minutes before gunfire erupted at Fort Stewart, the shooting suspect texted his family saying ‘I love y'all,' uncle says
'I just want y'all to know that I love y'all, and I tried my hardest to be the best I could be,' Sgt. Quornelius Samentrio Radford texted his relatives at least 20 minutes before he began shooting at fellow soldiers earlier this week at his military base in Georgia. 'My time is slowly coming to an end. I choose my destiny and my faith. I might not be with my mama, but I'm gonna be in a better place,' the enigmatic group text message read, his uncle, Joe Mitchell, told CNN affiliate WTLV. Radford, 28, wounded five of his peers at Fort Stewart Army base with a personal handgun before he was subdued by other soldiers nearby, authorities have said. All five soldiers are in stable condition, Brig. Gen. John Lubas, the commanding general of the 3rd Infantry Division, said at a news conference Wednesday. 'Please don't talk like that,' one message in response to Radford said. 'Call me, don't talk like this bro,' another said. 'Don't do whatever going on, you gonna be okay,' a different family member wrote. But despite desperate pleas from family members, what unfolded after Radford's messages has left many loved ones with looming questions over what led up to the shooting, his motive, and how someone they know to be a kind and loving family guy could commit such violence. Radford joined the Army in 2018 as an automated logistical specialist and was assigned to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, the US Army said. His role involved handling supplies and warehouse operations and he had not deployed to a combat zone, Lubas, the general said. The native Floridian had been arrested for driving under the influence in May – an arrest his chain of command didn't know about before the incident, Lubas said. Radford had no known behavioral incidents in his military record, according to the general. A day before the shooting, Radford had a disagreement with one of the shooting victims, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the case. It's unclear what the disagreement was about. He followed that coworker to a maintenance area on Wednesday and shot him in the chest before shooting four others. While Radford's motive remains unknown, details about his character and issues he faced in and out of the workplace have emerged from loved ones and former coworkers. His father, Eddie Radford, told The New York Times that he hadn't noticed any unusual behavior from his son recently and didn't know what might have motivated the shooting. He did, however, say his son had complained to the family about racism at Fort Stewart and had been seeking a transfer, according to the Times, which did not publish any specifics. CNN has reached out to Eddie Radford for more information. Fort Stewart declined to comment on the racism allegation and whether Radford had requested a transfer. 'The circumstances that led to the events (on Wednesday) are currently under investigation,' a spokesperson for the 3rd Infantry Division told CNN. As Radford's military career began in 2018, so did relentless bullying over his stutter, two former coworkers told NBC. Sneh Patel, an attorney that represented Radford during his DUI case, also confirmed to CNN that 'he has a stuttering condition,' although he wouldn't disclose much more due to client-attorney privilege, he said. 'He got bullied a lot,' Sgt. Cameron Barrett, who became friends with Radford during an Army training program, told NBC. 'It was very bad to the point where he could barely talk.' People would mock Radford by also pretending to have a stutter, Barrett said, adding the apparent speech impediment was a 'trigger' for Radford, but he endured the treatment by being silent, showing no signs of anger or resentment, Barrett and other soldiers told the network. CNN has reached out to those soldiers for more information. Since the shooting, Radford has been interviewed by the Army Criminal Investigation Division and is now sitting in pretrial confinement as he waits for a charging decision by the Office of the Special Trial Counsel, Lubas said Wednesday afternoon. As for his family, Mitchell told WTLV he's still asking himself questions, even days after the shooting. 'I was just one phone call away,' Mitchell said. 'I wish we could have talked about it, and it would have never happened. But we just leave it in God's hands.' CNN's Danya Gainor and Mark Morales contributed to this report.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Fellow soldiers say suspect in Fort Stewart was being bullied for a stutter and ‘he could barely talk'
Sgt. Quornelius Radford, the soldier accused of opening fire at Fort Stewart in Georgia on Wednesday, wounding five people, was persistently bullied over his stutter in his early military career, former colleagues say. Radford, 28, was reportedly mocked for his speech impediment during the roughly two months he spent in 2018 at the Army's Advanced Individual Training school at Fort Lee in Virginia. 'He got bullied a lot,' Sgt. Cameron Barrett, who became friends with Radford during that time, told NBC News. 'It was very bad to the point where he could barely talk.' Despite the alleged harassment, Barrett and other fellow soldiers said Radford never showed signs of anger, resentment, or deeper issues, the outlet reported. Those who knew him described the logistics sergeant as quiet but capable of a playful, lighthearted side. 'It was easy for those people to make fun of him for the way he spoke,' Sgt. Carlos Coleman, who trained alongside Radford, told the outlet. 'After that, he really didn't speak that much.' 'I just saw him get quiet,' he added. 'I've never seen him angry. That's why I'm so surprised.' The news that Radford was identified as the suspect in the Wednesday morning shooting shocked those who had served with him. Barrett said he even messaged Radford on Snapchat to check on him after reports of an active shooter, but received no reply. According to Army officials, Radford allegedly used a personal handgun to open fire shortly before 11 a.m., injuring five members of his unit in the 2nd Brigade Combat Team. Three of the victims were released from hospitals the same day, while two women remained hospitalized as of Thursday. Both are in a stable condition. Authorities have not said whether the victims were Radford's subordinates or superiors, and a motive remains unclear. Radford's alleged shooting spree ended when fellow soldiers tackled and subdued him. Barrett and Coleman agree that something else must have happened to Radford, as the bullying from his early military days happened years ago. 'I have questions, too,' Coleman said. 'I just want to know what pushed him to that point.' Coleman noted Radford's final Facebook post on January 28, where he shared profound lingering sadness over losing a loved one in a wrong-way crash. 'I remember I couldn't speak after hearing that,' Radford posted in a screenshot that Coleman shared with NBC News. Radford reportedly continued that he coped with his pain by crying and drinking, describing the lost loved one as a source of comfort who cared about his well-being. 'I know you tried to keep me on a good path when I was hanging out in the streets,' Radford wrote. 'I remember the nights you were scared when I was going down that road, and I'm truly sorry for putting you through that.' Radford remains in custody and has been interviewed by the Army Criminal Investigation Division as the investigation continues.
The Guardian
3 days ago
- The Guardian
Fort Stewart shooting suspect was relentlessly mocked for stutter, soldiers say
A friend of the man accused of gunning down five fellow soldiers at the Fort Stewart army base in Georgia earlier this week recounted how the suspect had been repeatedly bullied for having a serious stutter, according to a news report. Meanwhile, soldiers who acted swiftly to suppress the gunman and prevent the possibility of a much higher death toll were being hailed as heroes for their bravery in the terrifying moments after shots rang out on the sprawling military base on Wednesday morning. The man in custody for the shooting, Sgt Quornelius Radford, 28, was relentlessly mocked and mimicked for his speech impediment, from the earliest days of his army career, NBC News reported on Thursday. 'He got bullied a lot. It was very bad to the point where he could barely talk,' Sgt Cameron Barrett, 28, a friend of Radford's, said in an interview with the TV network. No motive has been officially discussed in the aftermath of the incident, amid the criminal investigation, in which five service members were wounded by gunfire and rushed to hospital, although they are expected to recover. Another soldier who had worked alongside Radford earlier in his career said that the sergeant had also lost a loved one in a traffic accident in January, and had taken it hard. The suspect's father has said his son complained of experiencing racism. When initial reports that there was a shooting began to reach soldiers on the base south-east of Savannah, Barrett said to NBC that he messaged Radford to ask if he was alright, but did not get a response. Meanwhile, Sgt Aaron Turner recounted to the Associated Press that he was helping lock down a supply warehouse at Fort Stewart when he saw a fellow soldier walking past, wearing a hooded sweatshirt over his uniform and holding a handgun – after shots had already been fired. Instead of ducking for cover, Turner said, he approached the gunman and started talking – asking what he was doing there and where he was heading. When he got close enough, Turner grabbed the soldier's gun and took him to the floor, where soldiers held him down until military police arrived. 'I was able to keep a cool head, but pretty much my training ended up kicking in,' Turner said on Thursday. 'It wasn't about my life at that point. It was about the soldiers.' The US army secretary, Dan Driscoll, came to Fort Stewart on Thursday to praise Turner and five other soldiers for their quick actions in subduing the gunman to prevent further bloodshed and rendering life-saving aid to the victims. Driscoll awarded each of them the meritorious service medal. 'The fast action of these soldiers under stress and under trauma and under fire absolutely saved lives from being lost,' Driscoll told a news conference afterward. Authorities say Radford used a personal handgun in the shootings, not a service weapon. Fort Stewart officials have not said why he opened fire, citing the criminal investigation. Radford worked as a supply sergeant assigned to the 703rd brigade support battalion of the third infantry's 2nd armored brigade at Fort Stewart, the largest US army post east of the Mississippi River, and home to thousands of soldiers. The battalion's commander, Lt Col Mike Sanford, said on Thursday that he's unaware of any problems with Radford or arguments that preceded the shootings. 'Right now, there's no signs that there was an issue,' Sanford said in an interview. Radford's father, Eddie Radford of Jacksonville, Florida, said in an interview with the New York Times that his son had sought a transfer and complained to his family about racism at the base. Radford, who is Black, texted an aunt shortly before the shooting and 'said that he loved everybody, and that he'll be in a better place because he was about to go and do something', Eddie Radford said. Sgt Carlos Coleman, who worked with Radford early on after the latter joined the army in 2018, also spoke to NBC about the man's stutter. 'It was easy for those people to make fun of him for the way he spoke. After that, he really didn't speak that much,' he said.
