Live updates: 5 soldiers wounded at Fort Stewart in Georgia; suspect in custody

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he is praying for the victims of the shooting at Fort Stewart today and that "swift justice be brought to the perpetrator."

The shooting left five "brave Soldiers" wounded, Hegseth said in a social media post.

"Our prayers are with them, their families, and the entire Fort Stewart community in the aftermath of this attack," Hegseth said, while thanking "the law enforcement heroes who charged into danger."

He said anyone else found to be involved will be brought to justice.

Shane Labbé, a truck mechanic with the third brigade at Fort Stewart, was among soldiers locked down in the base's armory when a man opened fire this morning, his father, Robert conrad Labbé, told NBc News.

After he got word of the incident, he called his son, worried.

"We're combat infantry soldiers, and they got us locked in a room," Robert conrad Labbé recalls Shane telling him on the phone, noting the irony of the situation.

Noting that they were locked in the armory, Robert conrad Labbé said he responded by telling his son, "Well, I guess you're going to be safe, because if he breaks in there, at least, you'll be able to fight back," using the weapons stored inside.

When the lockdown lifted, Shane Labbé called his dad again and reported that most people were trying to leave the base, leading to standstill traffic on the one open road out.

Trump called the Fort Stewart shooting an “atrocity” and said the shooter would be “prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

“The entire nation is praying for the victims and their families, and hopefully they’ll fully recover,” Trump said at the White House.

“We’re going to take very good care of this person that did this, horrible person,” he said.  

Van Johnson, the mayor of Savannah, discusses the relationship between the military base and the civilian population.

The suspect, Sgt. Quornelius Samentrio Radford, is from Jacksonville, Florida, and joined the Army in January 2018, officials said.

Radford, 28, is listed as an automated logistical specialist, assigned to the 2nd Brigade combat Team at Fort Stewart, records showed.

He has had no deployments. 

After a soldier allegedly opened fire on his own unit at Fort Stewart, fellow soldiers subdued and detained him until authorities arrived, highlighting both the rapid response by troops and ongoing concerns over base security.

The suspect, Sgt. Quornelius Radford, had once been arrested by local authorities on suspicion of drunken driving — but his commanding officers had not known about that incident, officials said.

"I do believe he was arrested locally for a DUI that was unknown to his chain of command until the event occurred," Brig. Gen. John Lubas said.

Soldiers who witnessed the shooting jumped the suspect and prevented anyone else from being harmed, officials said.

"Soldiers in the area that witnessed the shooting immediately, and without hesitation, tackled the soldier, subdued him, and allowed law enforcement to then take him into custody," Brig. Gen. John Lubas said.

All the victims were listed as stable this afternoon and are expected to survive, officials said.

The victims were all shot with a personal weapon — not a military weapon — that belonged to the suspect, Sgt. Quornelius Radford, 28, Brig. Gen. John Lubas said.

The soldiers shot at Fort Stewart were co-workers of the suspect, officials said.

“The shooting occurred at the soldier’s place of work,” said Brig. Gen. John Lubas, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division and Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield.

“It did involve his co-workers. We’re still not certain about the motivations.”

The victims weren't immediately identified, and the Army didn't say what the shooter's motive might have been.

"We will not speculate as to any intentions, motives or back stories, given that this is an ongoing investigation," said Lt. col. Angel Tomko.

Three senior law enforcement officials briefed on the matter told NBc News that the person alleged to have opened fire at Fort Stewart, Georgia, this morning is Quornelius Radford.

He has previous ties to Florida, the officials said.

A press conference about the Fort Stewart shooting is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. EDT.

Brig. Gen. John Lubas, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division and Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield, is expected to answer reporters' questions in a little more than an hour.

An all-clear has been issued and gates have been opened at Fort Stewart, Wright Army Airfield and Evans Army Airfield.

Former state lawmaker and Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams thanked first responders for their fast work in responding to the Fort Stewart shooting.

"Praying for the wounded soldiers and their families following today’s horrific shooting at Fort Stewart," the noted voting rights advocate said in a statement. "Grateful to the first responders who rushed to the scene and saved lives."

Abrams was the two-time Democratic nominee for the governor's chair, losing in 2018 and 2022 to Brian Kemp. Abrams came within 1.4 percentage points of Kemp in the 2018 race.

An Army sergeant was killed at Fort Stewart in 2022.

Sgt. Nathan M. Hillman, a 30-year-old from Plum, Pennsylvania, and an Afghan veteran, died during the shooting on Dec. 12, 2022.

Spc. Shay A. Wilson is facing a murder charge and his case is still pending.

Secretary Kristi Noem said she's been briefed on the shooting and will be closely monitoring the situation.

"I have been briefed on the shooting at Fort Stewart," she said in a statement, adding that Homeland Security "is actively monitoring the situation on the ground."

"We are praying for the victims and their families," she added.

As civilian and military police sped by him at Fort Stewart, truck driver Ron Peavey said he had an eerie 9/11-like feeling in his gut.

"I was thinking it was a war," he told NBc News of the chaos unfolding around him after making a routine delivery.

Peavey was about to leave in his 18-wheeler when he was stopped at base gates and told to shelter in place.

Much of the lockdown at Fort Stewart was lifted early Wednesday afternoon, in the wake of the shooting of five soldiers.

"The installation was locked down at 11:04 a.m. and Fort Stewart lifted the lockdown of the main cantonment area at 12:10 p.m.," according to a base statement.

But the area used by the 2nd Armored Brigade combat Team remains closed as investigators process the scene. 

Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., said that he is closely monitoring the situation at Fort Stewart.

"I’m heartbroken to see the news of an active shooter incident at Fort Stewart today. I’m monitoring the situation closely and join all of Georgia as we pray for the safety of our servicemembers, staff, and their families," Warnock said in a post on X.

President Donald Trump has been briefed on the Fort Stewart shooting, and the White House is monitoring the situation, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. 

Five soldiers were shot "in an active shooter incident in the 2nd Armored Brigade combat Team area," the base said.

All of the soldiers "were treated on-site and moved to Winn Army community Hospital for further treatment" and there is "no active threat to the community," according to a base statement.

The shooter was taken into custody at 11:35 a.m. EDT.

Federal authorities from nearby Savannah offered their help to Army investigators.

Agents are "aware of the incident at Fort Stewart" and are "coordinating with Army criminal Investigation," the FBI said.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said he's in close touch with police on the scene at Fort Stewart.

"As we remain in close contact with law enforcement on the ground, Marty, the girls, and I are saddened by today’s tragedy at Ft. Stewart," Kemp said in a statement.

"We are keeping the victims, their families, and all those who answer the call to serve in our hearts and prayers, and we ask that Georgians everywhere do the same."

Nearby Liberty county Schools have also ordered a lockdown in the wake of the base shooting.

Button Gwinnett and Joseph Martin Elementary Schools and Snelson Golden Middle School are on "soft lockdown out of an abundance of caution," the district said.

Today was the first day of school in the district.

Gunfire erupted at Fort Stewart in Georgia this morning, prompting the base commander to lock down facilities in the wake of this “active shooter” incident.

“Fort Stewart is in a lockdown status due to an active shooter incident in the 2nd Armored Brigade combat Team area,” according to a Fort Stewart Hunter Army Airfield statement.

“The installation was locked down at 11:04 a.m. and law enforcement is on the scene at the time. casualties have been reported and the situation is ongoing.”

The army base is about 40 miles southwest of Savannah.