FORT STEWART, Ga. – An Army sergeant was sentenced to life in a military prison Tuesday for shootings last summer that wounded five people at a base in Georgia.

A military judge at Fort Stewart sentenced Sgt. Quornelius Radford to life with a possibility of parole, local news outlets reported, after a court-martial last week in which the soldier was convicted of attempted murder.

Army prosecutors accused Radford, 29, of targeting leaders of his supply unit when he opened fire with a personal handgun last August. He wounded four fellow soldiers and his then-fiance, Raekwon Smith, who testified he was shot after following Radford onto Fort Stewart fearing the soldier was suicidal.

Radford admitted to carrying out the shootings in March when he pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated assault and domestic violence. But he insisted he never intended to kill anyone as Army prosecutors pressed ahead with trying Radford on charges of attempted murder.

Trial witnesses described how Radford, a supply sergeant in the 3rd Infantry Division’s 2nd Armored Brigade, walked to two offices and a conference room as he shot four soldiers. He was apprehended by military police after being restrained and disarmed by fellow soldiers.

Radford’s sentence also included a dishonorable discharged and a reduction in rank to private.

Army prosecutors had asked the judge to sentence Radford to life without parole. The soldier’s defense attorneys sought a lighter sentence, arguing that the shootings occurred while Radford was having a mental health crisis and that he has accepted responsibility for his actions.

One of the defense lawyers read a statement from Radford in which he apologized to each of the victims, said he was grateful they survived and asked forgiveness.

During Radford’s trial, a doctor from the Army hospital on Fort Stewart testified that one of the injured soldiers was shot in the face and another in the chest, while bullets stuck other victims in the back and abdomen.

Victims testified during Radford’s sentencing hearing that they’re still recovering, physically and emotionally. Two of them have left the Army.

Radford opted for his trial to be decided by a military judge rather than a jury of soldiers.

Don’t sleep on the Yellow Jackets heading into the 2026 season.

They have several big games in conference play against some of the conference’s elite. As they have shown us before, they are no stranger to pulling off big-time victories and shocking the college football world, especially as an underdog. Let’s talk about three reasons why the Yellow Jackets can beat the ACC elite this upcoming season. 

1. They’ve Done It Before 

Georgia Tech is no stranger to beating top ACC teams in the Brent Key era. They have done it consistently, multiple times. There are a myriad of examples to point to. You can go to the North Carolina game back in 2023, played in primetime on the Flats.

The Yellow Jackets defeated top pick and now New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye in a 46-42 victory. You can go back to the 2024 season in Ireland when the Yellow Jackets upset then No.10 Florida State 24-21. In that same year, Georgia Tech knocked off future No.1 overall pick Cam Ward and the No.4 Miami Hurricanes, handing them their first loss of the season in a 28-23.

There are many other examples I can point to illustrate this point, but you can see the Yellow Jackets never back down and come to play when it matters most against the elite teams in the conference. They have done it with a good offense and an opportunistic defense. With Louisville, Clemson, and Virginia Tech on the schedule, they should be primed to do it again in 2026.

2. Georgia Tech Has An Identity 

It is pretty simple: under head coach Brent Key, this Yellow Jackets team has an identity and a culture that sets it apart. They want to play physical, smash-mouth football and dominate you in the trenches on both sides of the ball. Coach Key has meant what he said this offseason about getting more size and girth, but also having offensive linemen who can move. It was one of the reasons why they were aggressive in the portal and one of the reasons why they are having success with the 2027 cycle.

When you look at Georgia Tech, they are going to run the football and play good defense. That makes the job easier for a first-time starter in Alberto Mendoza, who has a lighter load with the moves made this offseason. When you play in those major matchups, you have to lean on something to come out on top, and what better way than the true identity of your team? 

3. The Defense Will Be Much Better 

From top to bottom, the Yellow Jackets are poised to be much better defensively. When you look at the depth of the roster, the new defensive scheme, the talent level, and the hunger, you have a team that should be one of the better units in the conference. In order to beat the conference elite, you have to have a good defense that can travel and make plays late in games to seal it for you.

While Georgia Tech showed glimpses of that a season ago, the consistency in November just wasn’t there. With Jason Semore becoming the new defensive coordinator and a more attack-style, aggressive man-to-man defense, Georgia Tech should be equipped to force more turnovers and make a difference by getting the ball back to the offense.

The spring gave us a good glimpse of what the defense could look like despite so many injuries and players out. The defense flat-out shut down the Yellow Jackets, creating constant pressure and causing havoc for an offense trying to find its footing in the spring game. While some will say to take it with a grain of salt, it is clear that the Yellow Jackets will be a much better unit in 2026.