Tragic Mass Shooting in Southport, North Carolina Leaves Three Dead

Sat Oct 11 2025 08:30:44 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

A mass shooting at a waterfront bar in Southport resulted in three fatalities and five injuries, prompting the arrest of the suspected shooter.

A desperate night in Southport, North Carolina, unfolded when a man opened fire from a boat during a peaceful gathering at the American Fish Company, resulting in three deaths and multiple injuries. The suspect, identified as 40-year-old Nigel Edge, was arrested and faces serious charges including murder and attempted murder. Authorities are investigating the premeditated nature of the attack.

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 south of Wilmington, Police Chief Todd Coring said.

At a press conference Sunday, Coring stated that the location was “targeted,” but did not elaborate further.

Authorities revealed Edge piloted a small boat close to shore, lined with bars and restaurants, stopped briefly, and fired into the crowd. He then sped away.

About 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 individual was detained and turned over to Southport police for questioning.

Edge is charged with three counts of first-degree murder, five counts of attempted first-degree murder, and five counts of assault with a deadly weapon. He could face additional charges, Coring noted.

The weapon involved was reported as an assault rifle, though specific details were not provided. The Police Chief mentioned that the suspect self-identifies as a combat veteran suffering from PTSD.

Edge is scheduled to appear in court on Monday and is currently being held without bond. Among the hospitalized victims, at least one is in critical condition. Several of the victims were reported to be vacationers.

Authorities, including the State Bureau of Investigation and the Coast Guard, are continuing to gather evidence and interview witnesses.

The names of the victims have not yet been released, and there is ongoing investigation into the suspect's past. The Oak Island Police Chief commented that Edge had previous minor interactions with police but nothing significant that would indicate his capacity for such violence.