SOUTHPORT, N.C. (AP) — The mass shooting that shattered the night tranquility of a North Carolina painting seaside town was a “very planned” attack that killed three people and injured five, he said on Sunday. The suspect allegedly carrying out the attack on the waterfront bar was in custody.
Nigel Edge, 40, of Oak Island, is accused of opening a fire from a boat on Saturday night, causing a fire to a crowd gathered at American fish in the historic port town of Southport, Southport, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of Wilmington.
At a press conference on Sunday, Coring said the location was “targeted,” but he did not elaborate.
Authorities said Edge piloted a small boat near the coast, with bars and restaurants lined up, and was fired for a temporary halt. He then vomited.
Approximately 30 minutes after the shooting, U.S. Coast Guard crews found someone who met the account of the suspect pulling a boat out of the water on a public ramp on Oak Island. The person was taken into custody and handed over to Southport police for questions, officials said.
Edge is charged with three counts of first-degree murder, five counts of attempted first-degree murder and five assaults with a deadly weapon. He could face additional charges, Coring said.
The weapon used was an assault rifle, but no type of coring was specified.
“We understand that this suspect is identifiable as a combat veteran. He self-identifies. The injury he was injured in the job is what he says and he suffers from PTSD,” Coring said, referring to post-traumatic stress disorder.
Edge is scheduled to appear in his first court on Monday, District Attorney John David said. He is restrained without a bond.
Of the five people hospitalized for injuries, at least one is “now stuck with their lives,” David said. Some of the victims were vacationers from outside the town.
Oak Island police chief Charlie Morris said the suspect is known to police as someone who “wanders around on our pier” and that he has filed lawsuits against the town and the police station over the past few years. He did not elaborate.
The district attorney said Edge had “minor contact” with police in the past.
It was not immediately clear whether Edge had a lawyer to speak on his behalf. No lawyers are listed in court documents. A call to Brunswick County’s legal aid services was not answered Sunday.
Investigators from multiple agencies, including the state Investigation Bureau and the Coast Guard, remained at the scene where they gathered evidence Sunday and interviewed witnesses.
Authorities did not immediately disclose the victim’s name.
