New Mexico soldier honored for heroic actions during Fort Stewart shooting
SEVEN NEWS. U.S. SOLDIERS, INCLUDING ONE FROM FARMINGTON, SERGEANT AARON TURNER, ARE BEING CELEBRATED FOR THEIR RESPONSE TO THE SHOOTING AT A MILITARY BASE IN GEORGIA THAT LEFT FIVE OTHER SOLDIERS WOUNDED. TURNER, CREDITED WITH RESTRAINING THE SUSPECT DURING THAT INCIDENT. THE SUSPECT, ALSO A SERGEANT AT THE BASE. INVESTIGATORS NOW LOOKING INTO WHAT COULD BE THE MOTIVE. MICHAEL YOSHIDA HAS THE LATEST. THE INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING INTO THE SHOOTING THAT HAPPENED HERE AT FORT STEWART. THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY WAS ON BASE EARLIER TODAY. HE SPOKE ABOUT THE SOLDIERS INJURED, AS WELL AS THOSE THAT STEPPED UP TO SUBDUE THE SUSPECTED SHOOTER. ARMY SERGEANT CORNELIUS RADFORD IS IN CUSTODY ON SUSPICION OF SHOOTING AND WOUNDING FIVE OF HIS FELLOW SOLDIERS AT FORT STEWART. THE GUNFIRE ERUPTING JUST BEFORE 11 WEDNESDAY MORNING ON THE MILITARY BASE NEAR SAVANNAH, GEORGIA. ONE MAN STATION, ONE MUTUAL AID REQUEST FOR A GUNSHOT WOUND ON FORT STEWART, A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL BRIEFED ON THE CASE TELLS CNN THE SUSPECT HAD A DISAGREEMENT WITH ONE OF THE SHOOTING VICTIMS TUESDAY. WEDNESDAY, HE FOLLOWED THAT COWORKER TO A MAINTENANCE AREA AND SHOT HIM IN THE CHEST BEFORE SHOOTING FOUR OTHERS. SEVERAL NEARBY SOLDIERS JUMPED INTO ACTION. THEY WERE UNARMED AND RAN OUT AND TACKLED AN ARMED PERSON WHO THEY KNEW WAS ACTIVELY SHOOTING THEIR BUDDIES, THEIR COLLEAGUES, THEIR FELLOW SOLDIERS. ANOTHER SOLDIER JUMPED ON TOP OF THE PERSON TO SUBDUE THEM UNTIL FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS ABLE TO ARRIVE. RADFORD USED A HANDGUN, NOT A MILITARY WEAPON, IN THE SHOOTING. INVESTIGATORS NOW TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW HE GOT THE GUN THROUGH THE BASE’S SECURITY BEFORE CARRYING OUT THE SHOOTING AT HIS PLACE OF WORK. AT OUR GATES, WE HAVE ARMED GUARDS IN PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT. THIS ONE’S A BIT DIFFICULT, AND WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO DETERMINE HOW HE WAS ABLE TO GET A HANDGUN TO HIS PLACE OF PLACE OF DUTY. FORT STEWART TRAINS AND DEPLOYS ACTIVE AND RESERVE ARMY UNITS. IT’S HOME TO THE THIRD INFANTRY DIVISION AND THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES WHO LIVE ON THE BASE. THIS IS HEARTBREAKING. I MEAN, THESE ARE THE FOLKS THAT PROTECT US. AND WE DID GET AN UPDATE ON THE INJURED SOLDIERS. WE’RE TOLD THREE WERE TREATED AND RELEASED WEDNESDAY. A FOURTH HOPEFULLY WILL BE RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL THIS WEEKEND. THE FIFTH, WE’RE TOLD, HAS A LONGER ROAD OF RECOVERY AHEAD. THE SUSPECT, WE’RE TOLD, IS IN PRETRI
New Mexico soldier honored for heroic actions during Fort Stewart shooting
A soldier from New Mexico is among six being honored for heroic actions during the active-shooter situation at Fort Stewart in Georgia by the U.S. Secretary of the Army. Fort Stewart officials say the soldiers’ actions included neutralizing the threat and providing medical care to multiple casualties during the incident. U.S. Army Sergeant Aaron Turner of Farmington, New Mexico, was honored with a Meritorious Service Medal by Army Secretary Dan Driscoll. Base officials say Turner restrained the shooter during the incident and prevented further harm to fellow soldiers. “It will be a little bit before this moment hits you, and that’s ok,” said Secretary Driscoll, as he addressed the soldiers. “We are grateful for you, and we will stand by all of you as your colleagues recover and return to the unit.”Soldiers receiving a Meritorious Service Medal include:Master Sgt. Justin Thomas of Kingwood, TexasFirst Sgt. Joshua Arnold of Fort Bragg, North CarolinaStaff Sgt. Melissa Taylor from Winterhaven, FloridaStaff Sgt. Robert Pacheco from Amsterdam, New YorkSgt. Eve Rodarte of El Centro, California Sgt. Aaron Turner of Farmington, New MexicoThe shooting is still under investigation.
A soldier from New Mexico is among six being honored for heroic actions during the active-shooter situation at Fort Stewart in Georgia by the U.S. Secretary of the Army.
Fort Stewart officials say the soldiers’ actions included neutralizing the threat and providing medical care to multiple casualties during the incident.
U.S. Army Sergeant Aaron Turner of Farmington, New Mexico, was honored with a Meritorious Service Medal by Army Secretary Dan Driscoll.
Base officials say Turner restrained the shooter during the incident and prevented further harm to fellow soldiers.
“It will be a little bit before this moment hits you, and that’s ok,” said Secretary Driscoll, as he addressed the soldiers. “We are grateful for you, and we will stand by all of you as your colleagues recover and return to the unit.”
Soldiers receiving a Meritorious Service Medal include:
Master Sgt. Justin Thomas of Kingwood, Texas
First Sgt. Joshua Arnold of Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Staff Sgt. Melissa Taylor from Winterhaven, Florida
Staff Sgt. Robert Pacheco from Amsterdam, New York
Sgt. Eve Rodarte of El Centro, California
Sgt. Aaron Turner of Farmington, New Mexico
The shooting is still under investigation.
