A waterfront restaurant in Southport, North Carolina was the scene of a deadly shooting Saturday night when a gunman aboard a boat opened fire on diners at the American Fish Company, police say. Three people were killed and five more wounded in the assault.
Authorities arrested Nigel Max Edge, 40, of Oak Island, charging him with three counts of first-degree murder, five counts of attempted murder, and multiple counts of assault with a deadly weapon. Investigators believe he used a short-barrel AR-style rifle equipped with a suppressor and scope in the attack.
Law enforcement described the assault as “highly premeditated” and said the location was targeted. The suspect is believed to have acted alone.
The US Coast Guard detained Edge roughly 30 minutes after the shooting as he attempted to load his boat at a public ramp in Oak Island. There is no known ongoing threat to the public, authorities confirmed.
The investigation is being handled by multiple agencies, including local police and the State Bureau of Investigation, and prosecutors say victims’ identities will be withheld until next of kin are notified.