Three Dead, Eight Injured in Southport Waterfront Shooting; Suspect in Custody

On Saturday evening, a shooting at the American Fish Company, a waterfront bar in Southport, North Carolina, resulted in three deaths and at least eight injuries. The incident occurred around 9:30 p.m. when an individual aboard a boat on the Cape Fear River opened fire on the establishment. The assailant then proceeded up the Intracoastal Waterway.

Authorities have identified the suspect as 40-year-old Nigel Max Edge of Oak Island. He faces multiple charges, including 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 or inflict serious injury. Additional charges are pending.

Shortly after 10:00 p.m., the U.S. Coast Guard observed an individual matching the shooter's description loading a boat at a public ramp on NE 55th Street in Oak Island. The Coast Guard detained the suspect, who was then transferred to the Oak Island Police Department and subsequently to the Southport Police Department for questioning, with assistance from the State Bureau of Investigation.

The weapon used in the attack was described in court documents as a short-barrel AR rifle equipped with a suppressor, folding stock, and scope. The investigation remains active, and Edge's initial court appearance is scheduled for Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Brunswick County Courthouse.