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 that left three people dead and five injured, police said Sunday. The suspect who allegedly carried out the attack on a waterfront bar was in custody.
Nigel Edge, 40, of Oak Island is accused of opening fire Saturday night from a boat into a crowd gathered at the American Fish Company in Southport, a historic port town about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of Wilmington, Police Chief Todd Coring said.
Authorities reported that Edge piloted a small boat close to shore, which is lined with bars and restaurants, stopped briefly, and fired before speeding away. Roughly half an hour after the shooting, a U.S. Coast Guard crew spotted a person matching the suspect’s description pulling a boat from the water at a public ramp on Oak Island. The person was detained and turned over to Southport police for questioning.
Edge is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and five counts of attempted first-degree murder, among others. Investigators believe the weapon used was an assault rifle.
“This suspect identifies as a combat veteran. He claims to have been injured in the line of duty and states he suffers from PTSD,” Coring noted. Edge is scheduled to appear in court on Monday, being held without bond. Victims include vacationers, with at least one in critical condition.
Oak Island Police Chief Charlie Morris mentioned that the suspect was known to police as someone frequently present at the pier and had filed lawsuits against the town and police department in recent years. The ongoing investigation involves multiple agencies, including the State Bureau of Investigation and the Coast Guard.
Nigel Edge, 40, of Oak Island is accused of opening fire Saturday night from a boat into a crowd gathered at the American Fish Company in Southport, a historic port town about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of Wilmington, Police Chief Todd Coring said.
Authorities reported that Edge piloted a small boat close to shore, which is lined with bars and restaurants, stopped briefly, and fired before speeding away. Roughly half an hour after the shooting, a U.S. Coast Guard crew spotted a person matching the suspect’s description pulling a boat from the water at a public ramp on Oak Island. The person was detained and turned over to Southport police for questioning.
Edge is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and five counts of attempted first-degree murder, among others. Investigators believe the weapon used was an assault rifle.
“This suspect identifies as a combat veteran. He claims to have been injured in the line of duty and states he suffers from PTSD,” Coring noted. Edge is scheduled to appear in court on Monday, being held without bond. Victims include vacationers, with at least one in critical condition.
Oak Island Police Chief Charlie Morris mentioned that the suspect was known to police as someone frequently present at the pier and had filed lawsuits against the town and police department in recent years. The ongoing investigation involves multiple agencies, including the State Bureau of Investigation and the Coast Guard.
