The Army sergeant accused in the Aug. 6 shootings at Fort Stewart, a major Army post in southeast Georgia, is seeking to change his plea in military court, according to Army prosecutors. In a development announced March 12, the Army Office of Special Trial Counsel said Sgt. Quornelius Radford, 28, wants to plead guilty to fewer charges than prosecutors originally pursued after the shootings injured multiple people.
The case stems from allegations that Radford, while assigned as a supply sergeant in the 2nd Armored Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division, opened fire with a personal handgun in August at Fort Stewart. Authorities said the shootings took place at the base when members of his supply unit followed the sound of gunfire into the hallways of an office building, where they found wounded victims and hazy gun smoke in the air.
Army prosecutors said the gunfire injured four soldiers and a civilian worker, who was Radford’s romantic partner, before other people at the scene disarmed and restrained Radford. Prosecutors also said there were six total alleged victims, including a person Radford shot at and missed.
Radford previously pleaded not guilty last fall to 13 criminal counts, including six counts of attempted murder, six counts of aggravated assault and one count of domestic violence, the prosecutors said. A military judge had scheduled Radford to stand trial by court-martial in June based on those initial charges.
Now, prosecutors said Radford’s attorneys told a military judge last week that he wants to plead guilty to a reduced set of offenses. The Army Office of Special Trial Counsel said in a Thursday news release that Radford seeks to enter guilty pleas to two counts of attempted murder, three counts of aggravated assault and one count of domestic violence.
Prosecutors said they have not negotiated a plea deal with Radford. They said that means, even if a military judge accepts his guilty plea, Radford would still face a possible life prison sentence.
The Army’s online court docket showed Radford’s plea status changed from “not guilty” to “guilty plea” ahead of his next scheduled court hearing, March 31. Prosecutors said that is when the judge plans to consider the plea change.
The authorities have not offered a suspected motive for the shootings, and Radford has been held in pretrial confinement since his arrest, prosecutors said. Fort Stewart, located about 40 miles (64 kilometers) southwest of Savannah, is the largest Army post east of the Mississippi River and is home to thousands of soldiers assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division.
In addition to the court proceedings, the Army marked the aftermath of the Aug. 6 attack with recognition for service members involved in the response. Brig. Gen. John Lubas, the 3rd Infantry commander, credited soldiers with saving lives by immediately rendering first aid, including in some cases using bare hands to stanch bleeding from gunshot wounds, according to the prosecutors. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll visited Fort Stewart the day after the shootings to award Meritorious Service Medals to six soldiers who helped restrain Radford and treat the victims.
At a request for comment, Radford’s lead defense attorney, Lt. Col. Dylan Mack, did not immediately respond to an email message seeking comment.