Editor’s Note: There is no evidence to suggest that Staff Sergeant Luis Garza, one of the victims, was involved in any bullying of the suspect prior to the mass shooting. We have been made aware that SSG Garza has received unwarranted threats following the release of his identity. For this reason, we have removed the photo previously included in this article, which had been used in a public fundraising campaign for the family without their knowledge.
FORT STEWART, Ga. — One of the five soldiers wounded in Wednesday’s mass shooting at Fort Stewart has been identified by his wife as Staff Sergeant Luis Garza.
“Our community is amazing. Luis is home healing now. He is in a lot of pain but he is on his way to recovery,” his wife, Brittany Garza, wrote in a Facebook post Thursday. “I am so blessed to have the support from all of you. Luis is so grateful to see how many people have reached out to check in on us. We are forever grateful especially during this hard time. We love all of you dearly.”
The couple has three children together.
The Shooting and Suspect
The accused shooter, 28-year-old Sgt. Quornelius Radford, is alleged to have opened fire on five fellow soldiers shortly before 11 a.m. in his workplace within the 2nd Brigade Combat Team area. Investigators say Radford used his personal handgun in the attack before being tackled and subdued by other soldiers on the scene.
All five victims survived, with three discharged from the hospital later that day and two women remaining hospitalized as of Thursday. Army officials say all are expected to recover.
A Troubling Backstory
According to former fellow soldiers, Radford endured relentless bullying over a stutter when he attended Advanced Individual Training at Fort Lee in 2018. Friends from that time described him as quiet, reserved, and even playful when among those he trusted.
Sgt. Cameron Barrett, who befriended Radford in training, said people would mock him by pretending to stutter, calling the behavior “very bad to the point where he could barely talk.” Despite this, both Barrett and Sgt. Carlos Coleman said they never saw signs of violent tendencies.
Radford’s father told The New York Times his son had been trying to transfer out of Fort Stewart and had experienced racism at the base. He also said Radford texted his aunt shortly before the shooting, saying he loved his family and that he was “about to go and do something.”
Radford, an automated logistical specialist from Jacksonville, Florida, joined the Army in January 2018 and has not deployed to combat. He remains in Army custody as the Criminal Investigation Division continues its investigation.
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