An Army sergeant accused of shooting five co-workers at Fort Stewart last summer is seeking to plead guilty to reduced charges, Army prosecutors said Thursday.
Sgt. Quornelius Radford, 28, wants to admit to two counts of attempted murder, three counts of aggravated assault and one count of domestic violence, according to the Army’s Office of Special Trial Counsel. Radford had previously pleaded not guilty to 13 criminal counts — six counts of attempted murder, six counts of aggravated assault and a count of domestic violence — and was scheduled to stand trial by court-martial in June.
The plea change, if accepted by a military judge, would resolve the case without a trial but still carries a possible life prison sentence because prosecutors have not negotiated a plea deal with Radford, officials said. Radford’s lead defense attorney, Lt. Col. Dylan Mack, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Authorities have not offered a suspected motive for the August 6 attack, which occurred in an office building on the base. Gunfire injured four soldiers and a civilian worker, who was Radford’s romantic partner, before bystanders disarmed and restrained the sergeant.
The largest Army post east of the Mississippi River, Fort Stewart is home to thousands of soldiers assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division about 40 miles southwest of Savannah. Radford served as a supply sergeant in the division’s 2nd Armored Brigade and enlisted in 2018.
Soldiers in Radford’s unit followed the sound of gunfire into the hallways and found hazy gun smoke in the air and wounded victims on the floor and in nearby offices, according to prosecutors. Brig. Gen. John Lubas, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, 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. Radford has been held in pretrial confinement since his arrest.