Topic: US News
Posted 1 week ago
In the wake of the Saturday night attack at American Fish in Southport, North Carolina, authorities have confirmed the shooter as Nigel Max Edge, 40 (some reports list 39). Edge is a former Marine sniper who was severely wounded in Iraq, including a gunshot to the head. He has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder and five counts of common law attempted first-degree murder, according to Southport Police Chief Todd Coring.
Investigators say the shooter fired from a boat at the waterfront restaurant, with the boat ramp serving as the launch point about 12 miles from the site. Officials describe the incident as targeted and highly premeditated, with Edge believed to have acted alone. An assault rifle was used, and authorities recovered firearms from Edge's boat and home after executing a search warrant.
The case remains active, and investigators are seeking information from anyone who was at American Fish on Friday or Saturday night.
Edge, who previously went by the name Sean DeBevoise before changing his name in 2023, is said to have a complicated and troubled past. Law enforcement sources indicated that he engaged with numerous Q-Anon conspiracy theories. He is also noted for a controversial episode involving Kelly Pickler, a former American Idol contestant; Edge escorted Pickler to the CMT Music Awards but later sued her, alleging an attempt to poison him. He published a book entitled Headshot: Betrayal of a Nation, wherein he described his injuries and framed them within a broader plot against him.
Edge is a Marine veteran who sustained multiple injuries during combat in Iraq in 2006. While serving as a sniper, he was shot in the head, as well as injuries to the hip, ankle, and shoulder. He arrived in Wilmington in 2007 to recuperate after a Veterans Affairs hospital doctor in Tampa reportedly told him he would be in a wheelchair for life. Subsequent reporting noted he regained mobility and could walk without a cane or walker as of a 2017 article.
As of this writing, the death toll stands at three, with at least eight individuals injured in the incident.
Note: Information is subject to change as authorities continue the investigation and release official updates.