by (AP) Fort Stewart, Georgia Following reports of gunshots in a nearby office building, Sgt. Aaron Turner assisted in the lockdown of a supply warehouse on Fort Stewart. Then he noticed a fellow soldier carrying a weapon and donning a hooded sweatshirt over his uniform as he passed.
Turner claimed that rather than running for cover, he went up to the shooter and struck up a conversation, inquiring as to his purpose and destination. Turner seized the soldier’s firearm as he approached and carried him to the ground, where he was restrained by soldiers until military police could arrive.
Turner stated on Thursday that although he was able to maintain composure, his training ultimately took over. At that time, it wasn’t about me. The soldiers were at issue.
According to authorities, Sgt. Quornelius Radford, 28, a member of Turner’s battalion, shot and injured five other troops Wednesday morning at the expansive Army facility southeast of Savannah. They took Radford into custody. The injured are likely to recover after being taken to hospitals in a hurry.
Army secretary says soldiers quick response `absolutely saved lives
On Thursday, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll visited Fort Stewart to commend Turner and five other soldiers for their prompt action in bringing down the gunman to stop additional violence and providing the victims with life-saving assistance.
They were all given the Meritorious Service Medal by Driscoll.
“These soldiers’ quick response under pressure, trauma, and fire definitely prevented lives from being lost,” Driscoll said at a press conference later.
According to the authorities, Radford used a personal firearm during the shootings. Citing the criminal investigation, Fort Stewart officials have not disclosed the reason behind his shooting.
At Fort Stewart, the biggest U.S. Army installation east of the Mississippi River with thousands of men, Radford served as a supply sergeant with the 703rd Brigade Support Battalion of the 3rd Infantry’s 2nd Armored Brigade.
The cause of the violence has not been identified by authorities. Lt. Col. Mike Sanford, the battalion’s commander, stated on Thursday that he was not aware of any issues with Radford or disagreements that existed prior to the shootings.
In an interview, Sanford stated that there are currently no indications of a problem.
Eddie Radford, the father of Radford, who lives in Jacksonville, Florida, told The New York Times that he hasn’t noticed anything out of the ordinary in his son’s recent behavior. But according to him, his son had complained to his family about racism at the base and asked for a transfer.
Shortly before the shooting, Black Sgt. Radford texted his aunt, saying he loved everyone and that he would be in a better place because he was going to go do something, according to Radford’s father.
Soldier followed the sound of a shot and a shell casing to one victim
On Wednesday morning, 1st Sgt. Joshua Arnold was in a conference room completing paperwork when he heard a loud commotion and saw someone hurry pass the door. Was that a gunshot, he thought?
When Arnold entered the hall, he claimed to have noticed a cloud that resembled gunsmoke. Then he noticed a bullet’s shell casing on the ground.
Arnold remarked, “I looked up right away and saw the first victim.” “I’ve been shot,” the person told me. I was shot.
In her office, Staff Sgt. Melissa Taylor was checking her email when she heard Arnold phoning for assistance. She rushed over to where Arnold was tending to the injured soldier and took over, taking off the soldier’s shirt to expose a bullet wound to the chest and applied pressure to halt the bleeding.
Arnold, a military medic with training, stated, “I had nothing with me, no medical supplies.” My hands were naked. I had blood all over my arms, up to my elbows. In a circumstance like that, you don’t have time to pause and put on gloves. It’s a matter of life or death.
Arnold discovered two additional gunshot victims in adjacent workplaces in the meanwhile. Until the medics arrived, he provided emergency care to everyone.
According to officials, three of the injured had surgery after being transported to the hospital.
Base commander says wounded expected to recover
The commander of the 3rd Infantry, Brig. Gen. John Lubas, reported that two of the soldiers were stable and still in the hospital on Thursday. “Doctors expect all of them to recover,” he said.
This most recent incident of violence on one of the nation’s most secure military facility locations sparked worries about security and safety inside the military’s own boundaries. According to Driscoll, the Army will be examining whether any security enhancements are required.
Radford enlisted in January 2018, according to Army documents made available to The Associated Press. He has not been sent abroad.
According to a citation and court document, Radford is also facing a hearing on August 20 in Hinesville, the small city outside Fort Stewart’s main gate, on charges of driving under the influence and running a red light on May 18 shortly after 1 a.m. According to the paperwork, he was released on a $1,818 bond after undergoing a blood test.
A public records phone number for Radford was unanswered.
According to an email he sent on Wednesday, Radford is not being represented by attorney Sneh Patel in the shooting case, but he is in the traffic matter. It was unclear at the time if he had legal representation during the shooting.
Following the shooting deaths of their comrades and colleagues, 2nd Brigade soldiers returned to duty at Fort Stewart on Thursday. As the Army secretary gave Taylor, Arnold, Turner, and the others their medals, dozens of them gathered outside the brigade headquarters building.
Taylor responded that she went home and prepared a special supper for her family on Wednesday night following the shootings when asked whether she held them a little closer.
“I made shepherd’s pie, which is my kids’ favorite,” she remarked.
