A man charged with firing an assault rifle from a boat at patrons of a North Carolina waterfront bar, killing three people and wounding five others, was a decorated Marine combat veteran and Purple Heart recipient whose last assignment was with a Wounded Warrior battalion.
Nigel Edge, 40, is scheduled to appear in a North Carolina courtroom Monday after being charged with murder, attempted murder and assault in connection with a mass shooting Saturday night at the American Fish Company in Southport, a historic port town about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of Wilmington.
Five victims remained hospitalized Monday. Authorities said Edge piloted a boat close to shore, stopped briefly and opened fire at a crowd of vacationers and other patrons in what Police Chief Todd Coring described as a “highly premeditated” targeted attack. He was arrested about a half an hour later after a U.S. Coast Guard crew spotted him pulling a boat from the water at a public ramp on Oak Island, where he lives.
It was not immediately known whether Edge has a lawyer who can speak on his behalf. Edge, who was born in Suffern, New York, and changed his name from Sean DeBevoise in 2023, told police he was injured in combat and suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, Coring said.
Oak Island Chief Charles Morris noted that law enforcement frequently saw Edge near the town pier and identified him as someone who’s filed “numerous lawsuits” against the department and town in recent years. Legal records indicate Edge had turned to the court system to address various grievances. Among recent lawsuits is one in which he accused an area church of trying to make him commit suicide due to his sexual orientation.
Edge served in the military from 2003-2009, achieving the rank of sergeant in 2007 and receiving a Purple Heart for being wounded in action. Details of his injuries were previously reported, including a traumatic experience in Iraq during which he was shot four times. His last assignment was with the Wounded Warrior Battalion East at Camp Lejeune.
This incident has raised questions about his mental health and the support available for veterans dealing with trauma.
Nigel Edge, 40, is scheduled to appear in a North Carolina courtroom Monday after being charged with murder, attempted murder and assault in connection with a mass shooting Saturday night at the American Fish Company in Southport, a historic port town about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of Wilmington.
Five victims remained hospitalized Monday. Authorities said Edge piloted a boat close to shore, stopped briefly and opened fire at a crowd of vacationers and other patrons in what Police Chief Todd Coring described as a “highly premeditated” targeted attack. He was arrested about a half an hour later after a U.S. Coast Guard crew spotted him pulling a boat from the water at a public ramp on Oak Island, where he lives.
It was not immediately known whether Edge has a lawyer who can speak on his behalf. Edge, who was born in Suffern, New York, and changed his name from Sean DeBevoise in 2023, told police he was injured in combat and suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, Coring said.
Oak Island Chief Charles Morris noted that law enforcement frequently saw Edge near the town pier and identified him as someone who’s filed “numerous lawsuits” against the department and town in recent years. Legal records indicate Edge had turned to the court system to address various grievances. Among recent lawsuits is one in which he accused an area church of trying to make him commit suicide due to his sexual orientation.
Edge served in the military from 2003-2009, achieving the rank of sergeant in 2007 and receiving a Purple Heart for being wounded in action. Details of his injuries were previously reported, including a traumatic experience in Iraq during which he was shot four times. His last assignment was with the Wounded Warrior Battalion East at Camp Lejeune.
This incident has raised questions about his mental health and the support available for veterans dealing with trauma.
