Army sergeant wants to plead guilty in Georgia base shootings that injured 5
Recent Cases
An Army sergeant accused of shooting and wounding five co-workers at a southeast Georgia base last summer is seeking to plead guilty to attempted murder and other charges in a military court, Army prosecutors said 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 injured four soldiers and a civilian worker, who was Radford's romantic partner, before bystanders disarmed and restrained the sergeant, according to prosecutors.
A military judge scheduled Radford to stand trial by court-martial in June after Radford pleaded not guilty last fall to 13 criminal counts: six counts of attempted murder, six counts of aggravated assault and a count of domestic violence. Prosecutors say there were six total victims, including a person Radford shot at and missed.
Now Radford is seeking to plead guilty to a reduced set of charges, according to the Army's Office of Special Trial Counsel, which is prosecuting Radford.
It said in a news release Thursday that Radford's attorneys told a military judge last week that Radford wants 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 docket shows Radford's plea status was changed from "not guilty" to "guilty plea" ahead of his next scheduled court hearing March 31. That's when the judge plans to consider Radford's plea change, prosecutors said.
Army prosecutors said they haven't negotiated a plea deal with Radford, meaning he would still face a possible life prison sentence if a military judge accepts his guilty plea.
Authorities haven't offered a suspected motive for the shootings. Radford has been held in pretrial confinement since his arrest.
The largest Army post east of the Mississippi River, Fort Stewart is home to thousands of soldiers assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division. It is located about 40 miles (64 kilometers) southwest of Savannah.
Radford served as a supply sergeant in the division's 2nd Armored Brigade. Army records show he enlisted in 2018.
On Aug. 6, soldiers in 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 wounded victims on the floor and in nearby offices.
Brig. Gen. John Lubas, the 3rd Infantry's commander, credited soldiers with saving lives by immediately rendering first aid, in some cases using their bare hands to stanch bleeding from gunshot wounds.
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll visited Fort Stewart the day after the shootings to award Meritorious Service Medals to six soldiers who helped restrain the gunman and treat the victims.
Related listings
-
Trump praises Congo and Rwanda as they sign US-mediated peace deal
Recent Cases 12/02/2025President Donald Trump praised the leaders of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda for their courage as they signed onto a deal on Thursday aimed at ending the conflict in eastern Congo and opening the region’s critical mineral reserves ...
-
Trump’s tariffs loom over the economy as shipments from China fall
Recent Cases 05/01/2025American businesses are cancelling orders from China, postponing expansion plans and hunkering down to see what trade policy surprises President Donald Trump plans to spring on them next.The president’s massive and unpredictable taxes on import...
-
Musk gives all federal workers 48 hours to explain what they did last week
Recent Cases 02/20/2025Hundreds of thousands of federal workers have been given little more than 48 hours to explain what they accomplished over the last week, sparking confusion across key agencies as billionaire Elon Musk expands his crusade to slash the size of federal ...
New York Commercial Litigation Law Firm - Woods Lonergan PLLC
Founded in 1993 by Managing Partner James F. Woods, Woods Lonergan PLLC has built a strong reputation as a resourceful and industrious firm that provides clients with clear, concise, and straightforward answers to their most challenging legal issues. Partner Lawrence R. Lonergan, who joined the firm in 2008, has been a friend and colleague to Mr. Woods for over 40 years and shares the same business philosophy. Woods Lonergan PLLC’s collective experience and expertise enables the firm to expeditiously and effectively analyze the increasing challenges clients face in an evolving business and legal world, in many instances, avoiding unnecessary time and expense to our clients. Our mission is simple: provide cutting-edge expertise and sound advice in select areas of the law for corporate and business clients. We thrive on providing each client with personalized attention, forceful representation, and a collaborative team effort that embraces collective knowledge.