Mass shooting at Southport waterfront bar kills three
Three people were killed and at least eight others wounded in a mass shooting around 9:30 p.m. ET at the American Fish Company waterfront bar in Southport, N.C.; the shooter fired from a boat that stopped in front of the bar and fled toward Oak Island. The U.S. Coast Guard soon located and detained a person matching the suspect description at an Oak Island boat ramp, identified by authorities as Nigel Max Edge, who is in custody and being held without bond pending a probable‑cause hearing, while the six people who had been hospitalized have since been released; analysts have noted the attack alongside other recent incidents in discussions about veteran involvement in mass‑shooting plots, citing research that roughly 25% of such plots from 1990–2022 were planned by veterans.
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đź“Ś Key Facts
- Three people were killed and at least eight were injured in a mass shooting at the American Fish Company waterfront bar in Southport, North Carolina; the shooting occurred around 9:30 p.m. ET.
- The shooter fired from a boat that stopped in front of the American Fish Company and then fled toward Oak Island.
- The U.S. Coast Guard located and detained a person matching the suspect description at an Oak Island public boat ramp within about half an hour; that person was held in Oak Island police custody and was to be turned over to Southport Police.
- Suspect Nigel Max Edge is being held without bond pending a probable-cause hearing on Oct. 13, 2025.
- Initial reports said at least eight people were injured; six were hospitalized (one had self-admitted), and all six hospitalized victims have since been released from the hospital.
- Reporting has placed the Southport attack alongside a near-concurrent Michigan church attack and framed it within a broader pattern of veteran-involved mass-shooting plots.
- University of Maryland research cited in coverage found that roughly 25% of U.S. mass-shooting plots from 1990–2022 were planned by veterans, and experts quoted (including Ret. Col. Carl Castro and Luke Baumgartner) discussed veteran reintegration, mental health, and battlefield trauma as contextual factors.
đź“š Contextual Background
- The church attack was the second mass shooting in the United States in less than 24 hours; a separate Saturday-night attack in Southport, North Carolina involved a shooter firing from a boat into a crowd, killing three and wounding five.
- As of 2025-09-29 at least four people were killed and eight were wounded in the attack on the Grand Blanc Township church.
- The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation, described the incident as an act of targeted violence, and sent about 100 federal agents to Grand Blanc Township.
- Thomas Jacob Sanford deployed for one tour in Iraq in 2007–2008 with a combat logistics regiment.
- Law enforcement agencies respond to active shooter incidents and may engage and neutralize suspects at the scene.
đź“° Sources (3)
All injured in deadly North Carolina waterfront bar shooting released from the hospital
New information:
- All six people who had been hospitalized after the waterfront bar shooting have been released from the hospital.
- A sixth victim had 'self‑admitted' to a hospital (clarifying earlier counts).
- Suspect Nigel Max Edge is being held without bond pending a probable‑cause hearing on Oct. 13, 2025.
Two attacks highlight role of military veterans in mass shootings
New information:
- Places the Southport attack in a cross‑incident analysis linking it to a near‑concurrent Michigan church attack and to a broader pattern of veteran‑involved mass‑shooting plots.
- Cites University of Maryland research finding ~25% of U.S. mass‑shooting plots (1990–2022) were planned by veterans, adding statistical context.
- Includes expert quotes (Ret. Col. Carl Castro; Luke Baumgartner) about veteran reintegration, mental health, and battlefield trauma.
3 dead, at least 8 injuries in shooting at North Carolina waterfront bar
New information:
- Three people were killed and at least eight were injured in the shooting.
- The shooter fired from a boat that stopped in front of the American Fish Company around 9:30 p.m. ET and then fled toward Oak Island.
- The U.S. Coast Guard located and detained a person matching the suspect description at an Oak Island public boat ramp within about half an hour; that person is in Oak Island police custody and will be turned over to Southport Police.