A seaside town in North Carolina was left reeling on Saturday night after a gunman opened fire on a waterfront bar, killing three people and injuring five others in what police described as a “highly premeditated” attack.
The shooting erupted at the American Fish Company in Southport, a historic port town about 30 miles south of Wilmington. Police say the suspect, 40-year-old Nigel Edge of Oak Island, fired from a small boat into a crowd gathered at the bar before fleeing.
“This was a targeted location,” Police Chief Todd Coring said at a press conference Sunday, though he declined to elaborate further. Witnesses reported chaos as Edge allegedly stopped his boat briefly, unleashed gunfire with an assault-style rifle, then sped away into the night.
Roughly 30 minutes later, a Coast Guard crew spotted Edge pulling his boat from the water at a public ramp on Oak Island. He was detained without incident and turned over to Southport police.
Edge now faces three counts of first-degree murder, five counts of attempted first-degree murder, and five counts of assault with a deadly weapon. District Attorney Jon David confirmed additional charges may follow. Edge is being held without bond and is scheduled to appear in court Monday.
Authorities revealed the suspect identified himself as a combat veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Oak Island Police Chief Charlie Morris noted Edge was known locally, often seen on the town pier, and had previously filed lawsuits against the town and police department.
Among the injured, at least one victim remains in critical condition. Some of those shot were visitors from out of town. Investigators from multiple agencies, including the State Bureau of Investigation and the Coast Guard, continued to gather evidence Sunday.
Officials have not yet released the names of the victims.
