Tragic Mass Shooting in North Carolina's Southport Leaves Three Dead

Mon Oct 20 2025 21:27:06 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

A premeditated shooting spree at a waterfront bar in Southport, North Carolina, resulted in three fatalities and five injuries. The suspect is in custody.

A mass shooting occurred at the American Fish Company bar in Southport, NC, on Saturday night, leaving three dead and five injured. The shooter, Nigel Edge, 40, targeted the location from a boat. He is charged with multiple counts including murder and attempted murder. The incident has sparked an investigation, with the suspect known to the local police. Some injured victims are reported to be critical. Edge is a self-identified combat veteran suffering from PTSD.

SOUTHPORT, N.C. (AP) — A mass shooting that shattered the evening tranquility of a picturesque seaside town in North Carolina was a highly premeditated attack, leaving three people dead and five injured, police reported on Sunday. The suspect responsible for the attack at a waterfront bar is now in custody.

Nigel Edge, 40, of Oak Island, is accused of opening fire from a boat into a crowd gathered at the American Fish Company in Southport, approximately 30 miles south of Wilmington. Police Chief Todd Coring stated that the location was specifically targeted but did not provide further details.

Authorities revealed that Edge piloted his small boat close to the shore, which is dotted with bars and restaurants, stopped briefly to unleash gunfire, and then fled the scene.

A U.S. Coast Guard crew apprehended a person matching Edge’s description about half an hour after the shooting. He was discovered pulling a boat from the water at a public ramp in Oak Island and was subsequently handed over to Southport police for questioning.

Edge faces three counts of first-degree murder, five counts of attempted first-degree murder, and five counts of assault with a deadly weapon. Additional charges may be forthcoming, according to Coring.

The weapon used was identified as an assault rifle, although specifics were not disclosed. Coring indicated that Edge identifies himself as a combat veteran, claiming to suffer from PTSD due to injuries sustained while in service.

Edge is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Monday, where he will be held without bond. Among the hospitalized victims, at least one is reported to be in critical condition, with some being tourists visiting the area.

Oak Island Police Chief Charlie Morris noted that Edge was recognized as someone who often frequented the local pier and had previously filed lawsuits against the town and the police department. Further context about his past behavior was not provided.

Details about the victims' identities have not yet been revealed, as investigations involving multiple agencies, including the State Bureau of Investigation and the Coast Guard, are ongoing.