At least three people were killed and eight others injured after a gunman opened fire from a boat at a popular waterfront bar in Southport, North Carolina.
The Southport Police Department (SPD) said in a news release that officers responded around 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 27, after receiving reports of “shots fired with multiple injuries” at the American Fish Company.
According to police, a boat with a single occupant briefly stopped along the Cape Fear River before the suspect opened fire on patrons, killing three and wounding at least eight. The vessel then fled toward the Intracoastal Waterway in the direction of Oak Island.
Authorities warned residents of an “active shooter” in the Southport Yacht Basin and urged those nearby to remain indoors. Roughly 30 minutes later, the U.S. Coast Guard spotted a suspect loading a boat at a public ramp on NE 55th Street in Oak Island. He was detained by Oak Island Police for questioning.
Investigators later identified the suspect as Nigel Max Edge. Police confirmed that he has been arrested and charged with three counts of first-degree murder, five counts of attempted first-degree murder, and five counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, inflicting serious injury. No additional suspects are believed to be involved.
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The Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office is assisting Southport Police, along with other agencies, in the ongoing investigation.
During a press conference, Southport Police Chief Todd Coring said six of the injured were hospitalized, though their conditions and identities have not been released.
“Please keep all those affected, as well as our first responders, in your thoughts and prayers,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement on Facebook.
The Visit North Carolina tourism site describes the Southport Yacht Basin—where the shooting took place—as a hub where the Intracoastal Waterway, Cape Fear River, and Atlantic Ocean meet.
A motive for the attack has not yet been determined.
