On August 6, 2025, a tragic shooting at Fort Stewart, Georgia, left five soldiers wounded, but the swift and courageous actions of their unarmed comrades prevented further harm. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll praised the bravery of these soldiers, who risked their lives to tackle and subdue an armed fellow service member, identified as Sgt. Quornelius Radford, who allegedly opened fire on his colleagues.
The shooting occurred in the area of the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team at Fort Stewart. According to officials, Sgt. Radford, who enlisted in the Army in 2018, used a personal weapon during the attack. The suspect is now in pretrial custody awaiting charges, and the Army Criminal Investigative Division is actively investigating the incident.
Brig. Gen. John Lubas, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division and Fort Stewart, emphasized the unique challenge of such an event occurring on a military installation. “We train for this on the battlefield, and it’s a different situation when it happens on an installation with one of your own,” Lubas said.
Heroic Response by Unarmed Soldiers
Despite being unarmed, several soldiers acted decisively to stop the gunman. Army Secretary Driscoll highlighted their bravery, stating, “They were unarmed and ran at and tackled an armed person who they knew was actively shooting their buddies, their colleagues, their fellow soldiers.”
Six soldiers were awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for their heroic actions:
-
1st Sgt. Joshua Arnold
-
Staff Sgt. Robert Pacheco
-
Sgt. Eve Rodarte
-
Staff Sgt. Melissa Taylor
-
Master Sgt. Justin Thomas
-
Sgt. Aaron Turner
1st Sgt. Joshua Arnold described how their training instinctively took over. “It’s our training that kicked in,” he said. “Mine kicked in, and you just go to work.” Staff Sgt. Melissa Taylor recounted hearing Arnold’s warning about gunshots and immediately rushing to aid a wounded soldier. “I noticed there was a soldier laying on the ground, so I immediately sprinted over to the soldier and started rendering aid,” she said.
Medical Response and Recovery
The quick response of the soldiers didn’t stop at subduing the gunman. Their training in battlefield medicine proved critical in saving lives. By applying techniques to stop bleeding, they stabilized the wounded until ambulances arrived. Brig. Gen. Lubas noted, “When we spoke to the surgeons in the hospital, it was clear that the actions they took, primarily stopping that bleeding before they were loaded up into ambulances and quickly evacuated to Winn Army Medical, certainly saved their lives.”
Of the five wounded soldiers, three have been released from medical care. Two remain hospitalized—one at Winn Army Medical on base and another at a hospital in Savannah, approximately 40 miles away. Both are expected to make a full recovery.
Recognition and Resilience
The Meritorious Service Medal ceremony, held outside Fort Stewart, was a moment of pride and reflection. Army Secretary Driscoll was seen comforting Sgt. Aaron Turner, one of the honorees, underscoring the emotional weight of the event. The soldiers’ actions exemplify the resilience and camaraderie that define military service, turning a tragic incident into a testament to their training and bravery.
Ongoing Investigation
The Army Criminal Investigative Division continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting. As the Fort Stewart community heals, the focus remains on supporting the wounded soldiers and honoring those who acted heroically to protect their fellow service members.