Five soldiers were wounded and hospitalized in stable condition. Officials credit an unarmed soldier for tackling Radford and another for pinning him down until police arrived — likely preventing further casualties.
Motive: Bullying, Loss, and Struggles
Former Army colleagues told MSN that Radford had been bullied during his Advanced Individual Training at Fort Lee in 2018 due to a speech impediment.
“It was easy for those people to make fun of him for the way he spoke,” said Sgt. Carlos Coleman. “After that, he really didn’t speak much. I’ve never seen him angry. That’s why I’m so surprised.”
Radford’s Facebook posts also reveal personal grief. In January, he wrote about losing a loved one in a wrong-way crash, admitting he drank to “make that pain feeling go away.” His father, Eddie Radford, told the Times that his son had also complained of racism at the base and had sought a transfer.
Military and Legal Response
Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll commended the bravery of those who intervened:
