In Southport, North Carolina, on the evening of Saturday, September 27, 2025, a tragic shooting occurred at a waterfront bar called the American Fish Company, located at the Southport Yacht Basin. A gunman opened fire from a boat that had stopped briefly in front of the bar, killing three people and injuring at least eight others. The shooter then escaped by boat towards the Intracoastal Waterway. The U.S. Coast Guard detained a person matching the suspect's description about 30 minutes later at a boat ramp in nearby Oak Island. This person is currently in custody and is being questioned by the Southport Police Department with assistance from the State Bureau of Investigation. Authorities have charged the suspect, identified as Nigel Edge from Oak Island, with multiple counts including murder and assault with a deadly weapon. The motive for the shooting has not been disclosed. Local officials advised residents to stay indoors during the investigation, but there is no known ongoing threat to the public. This incident has been described as a very tragic event for the small community of Southport, which has under 4,000 residents and is known as a close-knit place where many people know each other.
