FORT STEWART, Ga. (WSAV) — The family of Sgt. Quornelius Radford, the active-duty soldier accused of shooting five fellow soldiers, is speaking out.

Joe Mitchell, Radford’s uncle, shared with First Coast News that the family is deeply devastated and caught off guard. He revealed a haunting text message from his nephew, sent just 20 minutes before the tragic incident.

The text read, “I just want y’all to know that I love y’all and I try my hardest to be the best I could be. My time is slowly coming to an end. I choose my destiny and my faith. I might not be with my mama, but I’m gonna be in a better place.”

Mitchell recalled how he urged Radford to reply after reading the message. Initially, the family feared Radford might have been a victim of the shooting. This confusion turned to shock when they discovered through news reports that “Quan” was identified by investigators as the suspect.

“I couldn’t believe it. That’s not the man that me and my brother and my mother and the rest of my family grew up and raised,” Mitchell said.

Radford was reportedly grappling with mental health issues related to the loss of his mother during his childhood, compounded by the more recent deaths of his sister and grandfather.

“Those three blows, along with other personal challenges, were likely burdens he needed help with. We weren’t aware as a family, as we certainly would have supported him,” expressed Mitchell.

Now, the family is searching for answers.

Mitchell lamented, “I was just a phone call away. I wish we could have spoken about it, maybe it wouldn’t have had to happen. But we are leaving it in God’s hands now.”

Mitchell had a message for the victims and their families.

“I’m just sorry… I wish I could’ve talked to him. Man, I could have helped him. This just could have been avoided, right? I’m deeply, deeply sorry,” Mitchell said.

Radford is currently in the Liberty County Jail. The shooting is being investigated by the Army Criminal Investigation Division.