Fort Stewart Sergeant Seeks Guilty Plea in 2025 Base Shooting of 5
Army Sgt. Quornelius Radford, 28, is seeking to plead guilty in a military court to a reduced set of charges stemming from an August 6, 2025 shooting at Fort Stewart, Georgia, that wounded four soldiers and a civilian co‑worker, Army prosecutors said Thursday. Radford had previously pleaded not guilty to 13 counts, including six attempted murder charges, but his attorneys told a military judge he now wants to admit guilt to two counts of attempted murder, three counts of aggravated assault and one count of domestic violence. The Army’s Office of Special Trial Counsel says there is no negotiated plea deal, meaning Radford still faces a potential life sentence if the judge accepts the change at a March 31 hearing. Authorities say Radford used a personal handgun to open fire inside a supply unit office building before bystanders disarmed and restrained him; no motive has been publicly disclosed, and he has remained in pretrial confinement since his arrest. The incident prompted praise from commanders for soldiers who rendered life‑saving first aid and highlighted ongoing concerns about insider violence and weapon access on U.S. military bases.
📌 Key Facts
- Sgt. Quornelius Radford is accused of shooting five coworkers at Fort Stewart, Georgia, on August 6, 2025, wounding four soldiers and a civilian partner and shooting at a sixth person he missed.
- Radford initially faced 13 charges, including six counts of attempted murder, six counts of aggravated assault and one count of domestic violence, and pleaded not guilty last fall.
- His lawyers now say he intends to plead guilty to two attempted murder counts, three aggravated assaults and one domestic violence charge at a March 31, 2026 hearing, without a negotiated plea deal, leaving him exposed to a possible life sentence.
📊 Relevant Data
In 2023, 23.5% of active-duty US Army personnel identified as Black or African American, compared to 13% of the US population identifying as Black.
2023 Demographics Report — Military OneSource
According to a 2022 analysis of FY 2014-2020 data, Black enlisted personnel in the US military, including the Army, were more likely to be investigated and involved in nonjudicial punishment and courts-martial than White enlisted personnel, but no more likely—and in many cases less likely—to be found guilty at court-martial.
Internal Review Team on Racial Disparities in the Investigative and Military Justice Systems — Department of Defense
In a 2025 study, 38% of active-duty military-affiliated individuals reported experiencing intimate partner violence, compared to 48% of veterans.
Yale Study: Veterans Suffer Higher Rates of Intimate Partner Violence Than Active-Duty Service Members — Yale School of Medicine
In 2024, the population of Fort Stewart, GA, was 50.6% White (Non-Hispanic), 17.2% Black or African American (Non-Hispanic), and 23.6% Hispanic.
Fort Stewart, GA — Data USA
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