Fort Stewart Shooting Suspect Was A Hard Worker Who Had Been Bullied Over His Stutter, Army Soldiers Say

2 hours ago

The soldier accused of opening fire Wednesday astatine his Army guidelines successful Georgia, wounding 5 people, had endured relentless bullying complete his stutter almost arsenic soon arsenic he joined nan military, erstwhile co-workers said.

Sgt. Quornelius Radford, 28, was picked connected during nan astir 2 months successful 2018 he spent astatine nan Army’s Advanced Individual Training (AIT) schoolhouse astatine Fort Lee successful Virginia, according to 2 group who served pinch him there.

“He sewage bullied a lot,” said Sgt. Cameron Barrett, 28, who became friends pinch Radford during that time. “It was very bad to nan constituent wherever he could hardly talk.”

Barrett said group would mock Radford by besides pretending to person a stutter. He said nan evident reside impediment was a “trigger” for Radford, who endured nan mocking by being silent.

Still, Radford showed nary signs of anger, resentment aliases deeper issues, Barrett and different chap soldiers said. And to those who sewage to cognize him, nan reserved Radford shared a goofier and playful side, they said.

So, they said, nan Wednesday greeting shooting astatine Fort Stewart came arsenic a complete shock.

The entranceway to U.S. Army guidelines Fort Stewart

When reports of an progressive shooter connected guidelines first surfaced, Barrett said he sent Radford a connection connected Snapchat, asking if he was OK.

Radford did not respond. Hours later, Army officials identified Radford arsenic nan man suspected of utilizing his individual handgun to allegedly sprout 5 of his co-workers soon earlier 11 a.m.

Radford worked arsenic a logistics sergeant assigned to nan 2nd Brigade Combat Team, which is based astatine Fort Stewart.

The wounded soldiers were successful unchangeable information Wednesday and are expected to recover. Three of nan victims were released from hospitals connected Wednesday, while 2 more, some women, were still being treated connected Thursday, officials said.

It’s unclear whether nan victims were subordinates aliases superiors of Radford. Army officials said a motive was unclear, arsenic nan investigation is ongoing.

Radford, an automated logistical master assigned to nan 2nd Brigade Combat Team astatine Fort Stewart, was tackled and subdued by chap soldiers, which ended his alleged shooting rampage.

Radford remained successful custody Thursday and has been interviewed by nan Army Criminal Investigation Division.

The Jacksonville, Florida, autochthonal joined nan Army successful January 2018 and has not been deployed to combat, records showed.

Some soldiers who met him that twelvemonth successful AIT schoolhouse were near shocked and confused. They said Radford appeared laid back, contempt being teased for his stutter.

“It was easy for those group to make nosy of him for nan measurement he spoke,” said Sgt. Carlos Coleman, who was successful nan aforesaid statement arsenic Radford during that training. “After that, he really didn’t speak that much.”

“I conscionable saw him get quiet,” Coleman, 27, added. “I’ve ne'er seen him angry. That’s why I’m truthful surprised.”

Barrett and Coleman said thing other must person happened, since it had been years since nan first subject bullying.

“I person questions, too,” Coleman said. “I conscionable want to cognize what pushed him to that point.”

Coleman, who is now based successful Washington state, said he stayed friends pinch Radford connected Facebook and remembers Radford’s past station connected Jan. 28, erstwhile he expressed deep, residual heartache complete losing a loved 1 successful a wrong-way crash.

“I retrieve I couldn’t speak aft proceeding that,” Radford wrote, according to a screenshot that Coleman shared pinch NBC News.

Radford wrote that he cried and drank to “make that symptom emotion spell away.” He described nan loved 1 arsenic a safe haven and personification who cared profoundly astir his coming and future.

“I cognize you tried to support maine connected a bully way erstwhile I was hanging retired successful nan streets,” he wrote. “I retrieve nan nights you were frightened erstwhile I was going down that roadworthy and I’m genuinely sorry for putting you done that.”

Radford’s erstwhile co-workers described him arsenic a normal and playful personification and a hardworking soldier.

“He was bully arsenic a worker and a person, to me,” Coleman said. “There were ne'er immoderate reddish flags astir him. He did what he was told.”

In a Facebook station that has since been taken down, QuaSondra Cobb, who utilized to activity pinch Radford, shared a video of nan 2 racing to beryllium nan first to eat a Fruit by nan Foot snack past year.

“It was luncheon clip and we were conscionable goofing around,” Cobb told NBC News. “My interactions pinch him were ever for illustration that.”

Cobb, who was Radford’s superior until astir a twelvemonth ago, erstwhile they some moved to different units, said she was heartbroken and astatine a nonaccomplishment for words. Radford, she said, didn’t show accent aliases anger and did not look to person issues pinch co-workers.

“I’ve ne'er gotten that from him,” she said. “He was a difficult worker. If he had immoderate issues, he would travel to me, inquire for advice. I conscionable didn’t spot that coming.”

Radford’s father, Eddie Radford, could not beryllium reached Thursday and declined to remark Wednesday evening, telling NBC News it was a “bad time” to talk.

The suspect’s begetter told The New York Times that his boy had been trying to transportation retired of Fort Stewart, wherever he had knowledgeable racism.

Eddie Radford said his boy texted his aunt Wednesday morning, saying that “he loved everybody, and that he’ll beryllium successful a amended spot because he was astir to spell and do something,” nan Times reported.

Melissa Chan

Melissa Chan is simply a newsman for NBC News Digital pinch a attraction connected veterans’ issues, intelligence wellness successful nan subject and weapon violence.