An Army sergeant was found guilty of attempted murder Thursday in shootings last summer that wounded five people at Fort Stewart, Georgia. Sgt. Quornelius Radford was accused of targeting leaders of his supply unit. He admitted to the shootings in March but claimed he did not intend to kill anyone.
The conviction of Sgt. Quornelius Radford for attempted murder highlights the severe consequences of gun violence within military installations and underscores the legal complexities surrounding intent in such incidents.
An Army sergeant, Quornelius Radford, was convicted of attempted murder on Thursday in connection with shootings that occurred last summer at Fort Stewart, a military base in southeast Georgia. The incident resulted in injuries to five individuals.
Army prosecutors alleged that Radford targeted leaders within his supply unit when he opened fire with a personal handgun in August. Radford, 29, wounded four soldiers and his then-fiancé, Raekwon Smith. Smith testified that he had followed Radford to the base out of concern for his well-being, and that Radford shot him before entering a unit office building and firing at others.
Radford had previously pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated assault and domestic violence in March, admitting to carrying out the shootings. However, he maintained that he had no intention of killing anyone, leading prosecutors to proceed with the attempted murder charges.
Witnesses described Radford moving through offices and a conference room, shooting four soldiers while telling others to leave. He was apprehended by military police after being restrained and disarmed by fellow soldiers. A radiologist who examined the soldiers' injuries testified that the wounds, including those to the face, chest, back, and abdomen, could have been fatal.
Prosecutors argued that Radford's military firearms training implied an intent to kill, as he knew not to shoot unless he intended to do so. Defense attorneys contended that Radford was suicidal and had initiated the shooting to provoke law enforcement into killing him, with Lt. Col. Dylan Mack, one of Radford's lawyers, stating that Radford only wanted himself to die.
Radford chose to have his trial decided by a military judge instead of a jury. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for Monday. Attempted murder is a charge that carries a potential penalty of life imprisonment under military law. Fort Stewart, the largest Army post east of the Mississippi River, is home to thousands of soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Division and is located southwest of Savannah.