Fort Stewart is the largest US military base in the eastern part of the country, located about 65 kilometers southwest of the city of Savannah.
The base, which covers more than 280,000 acres and is home to tens of thousands of soldiers and their families, regularly hosts military exercises, including training in how to respond to active shooter situations.
Police officers were immediately called to the scene of the incident. A so-called"lockdown" regime was declared for the entire base and surrounding areas - residents were instructed to stay indoors, lock doors and windows, and avoid open spaces. Some nearby schools and public institutions were also closed.
Although the suspect has been identified, his identity has not yet been released. Sources suggest he may have military connections, raising further questions about the psychological state of the soldiers and security protocols at the base itself.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp publicly expressed his condolences to the injured, the soldiers, and their families, emphasizing that everything will be done to ensure that such incidents do not happen again.
This is not the first such incident at Fort Stewart. In December 2022, a soldier shot and killed Sergeant Nathan Hillman in the same brigade where the current shooting took place.
Meanwhile, in January 2025, two soldiers were killed in a training vehicle accident. These incidents highlight certain issues related to soldier safety, stress management, and internal controls at the base.
The investigation into this latest incident is still ongoing. Military leadership, together with civilian law enforcement agencies, is investigating the motives, the circumstances of the incident, and assessing whether the tragedy could have been prevented.
Meanwhile, the public and relatives of soldiers expect clear answers and quick solutions that would allow them to feel safe even at such tightly controlled facilities as Fort Stewart.