Three people were killed and at least eight others injured Saturday night when a gunman on a boat opened fire outside a waterfront bar in North Carolina, officials said.
The shooting happened when the gunman on a boat stopped in front of the American Fish Company at Southport Yacht Basin, according to city spokesperson ChyAnn Ketchum.
The suspect then fled down the Intracoastal Waterway, possibly headed to Oak Island, Southport Police Chief Todd Coring said.
A person matching the shooter’s description was later detained by the U.S. Coast Guard at a public boat ramp in Oak Island.
Nigel Edge has been 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 expected to appear in court on Monday at 2 p.m.
The victims killed in the shooting have not been publicly identified.
Coring said “possibly six” 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 Sheriff’s Office, FBI, and ATF, are assisting.
Coring called it “a very tragic night” for the tight-knit coastal community.
“We’re a small community, one of the communities where everybody knows everybody,” the chief said. “It’s just a very tragic night.”
