Three people were killed and at least six others injured after a gunman on a boat opened fire on patrons at a waterfront bar in a coastal North Carolina town over the weekend, officials said.
The suspect was traveling by boat along the Cape Fear River around 9:30 p.m. Saturday, pausing briefly at American Fish Company, where they began shooting, according to City of Southport spokesperson ChyAnn Ketchum.
Officials say the gunman then fled up the Intracoastal Waterway toward Oak Island. A person matching the shooterâs description was later detained by the U.S. Coast Guard at a public boat ramp in Oak Island, Southport Police Chief Todd Coring said.
Nigel Edge, 40, was arrested and charged with three counts of first-degree murder, five counts of attempted first-degree murder and five counts of assault with a deadly weapon, WECT reported. He is being held at the Brunswick County Detention Center with no bond and is set to be in court on Monday.
A motive for the shooting is unclear at this time.
The victims killed in the shooting have not been publicly identified.
Coring said âpossibly sixâ injured people were being treated at hospitals, though the city initially reported eight. No details on their conditions were released.
The incident initially drew an active shooter response, with the city urging residents to stay inside and report suspicious activity. Multiple agencies, including the Brunswick County Sheriffâs Office, FBI, and ATF, are assisting. The police chief said there is no longer a threat to the public.
Coring called it âa very tragic nightâ for the tight-knit coastal community.
Southport is located near the mouth of the Cape Fear River, about 30 miles south of Wilmington.
âWeâre a small community, one of the communities where everybody knows everybody,â the chief said. âItâs just a very tragic night.â
This is a developing story and will be updated.
