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After a shooting incident that injured five soldiers at Fort Stewart on Wednesday, a former public safety director at the Georgia military base discussed the emergency response and weapons safety procedures in place, while officials commended fellow troops for taking down the suspect and preventing more casualties.
A 28-year-old Army Sgt. Quornelius Radford from Jacksonville, Florida, allegedly shot five fellow service members with a personal handgun in Fort Stewart’s 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team area. Fortunately, all the victims are expected to recover, according to officials.
Retired Army Col. Mike Bumgarner, who previously supervised emergency services and policing at Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield, explained to Fox News Digital that military police would have responded within three to five minutes of receiving the 911 call.
Bumgarner also pointed out that soldiers are trained in FBI-style protocols, which include quick evacuation, barricading if escape is not possible, and taking immediate action to address any imminent danger, which likely helped in swiftly apprehending the suspect.
Mugshot of Quornelius Radford, who was booked at the Liberty County Jail in Hinesville, Ga., May 18. (Liberty County Sheriff’s Office)
Authorities are investigating the circumstances leading to the incident, and Bumgarner emphasized that if there were any warning signs indicating the suspect was distressed, protocols would have required the removal of weapons from his possession.
Soldiers residing in the barracks are not allowed to store weapons in their rooms, but those living in on-post family housing or off-post can keep personal firearms, provided they are registered with the fort’s provost marshal, Bumgarner said.
In cases where leadership is concerned about a service member’s stability, the standard protocol is to ask the soldier to surrender their weapons for safekeeping. If the soldier refuses, a commander would typically intervene and order the confiscation of the weapons.
A soldier is transported to an area hospital following a shooting at Fort Stewart in Hinesvilla, Ga., on Wednesday. (WTOC)
During a press conference following the shooting, Army officials stated that Radford had no prior disciplinary or behavioral issues. However, court records from Liberty County, Georgia, indicate that Radford was arrested on May 18 for driving under the influence and failure to obey traffic control devices.
These charges were reportedly unknown to Radford’s chain of command.
“Something went wrong somewhere,” Bumgarner remarked. “Chaplains are very active in the United States Army, in every unit, down to very local level, so the chain of command is very attentive to any type of issues.
“If the chaplain or the first sergeant notices something, they will try to get the individual to seek help themselves. What happened with this soldier? Apparently, something fell through the cracks somewhere along the way. We’ll find out.”
A military police soldier is in position at Fort Stewart after a gunman opened fire at the facility and injured five people on Wednesday. (WTOC)
Bumgarner mentioned that the Army’s Criminal Investigation Division (CID), along with possible support from the FBI, is likely investigating which weapons were registered with the provost marshal and interviewing anyone involved.
Furthermore, commanders will be looking for any connections to terrorism, extremism, or a broader issue involving more than one individual. Other investigators will focus on the specifics of the crime – preserving the crime scene, gathering evidence, and speaking with associates who may have noticed anything unusual.
“This is extremely rare, and I assure you the community, the entire Army, is shaken by this,” he stated. “It’s just not something we typically see. The Army is a close-knit community.”
When it comes to preventing long-term misuse of weapons, Bumgarner acknowledged that there is no easy solution.
“After 9/11, there were 100% vehicle checks around military installations, and I remember sitting on the interstate in a four-mile backup,” he recalled. “Once you implement it, it becomes a thorough search. Every compartment or container that could hold a handgun would be searched. This level of security can be sustained for a period of time when there is a known high threat, but it would be very challenging and demanding on all security personnel, military police, and those needing to access the base.”
“So the focus turns to the weapon. How do we prevent misuse? There is no simple answer,” Bumgarner added. “Second Amendment rights are respected in the military, and that is how weapons are kept in quarters. How do you address that? The military reflects our society.”
In a shocking turn of events, a local bakery in downtown Houston was robbed at gunpoint last night. The incident occurred around 9 p.m. when three masked individuals entered the bakery and demanded money from the employees. The suspects were armed and threatened violence if their demands were not met.
According to witnesses, the employees complied with the robbers’ demands and handed over an undisclosed amount of cash from the register. The suspects then fled the scene in a waiting vehicle before the authorities arrived.
Police are currently investigating the robbery and are reviewing security footage from nearby businesses to identify the suspects. The bakery owner, who wishes to remain anonymous, expressed shock and disbelief at the brazen robbery.
This incident serves as a reminder for businesses to ensure they have proper security measures in place to protect their employees and customers. Anyone with information about the robbery is urged to contact the local authorities.
