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Nigel Edge's chilling claims years before Southport, NC shooting: ‘Trying to kill me…’
Nigel Edge was identified as the suspect who opened fire from a boat into a crowd gathered at the American Fish Company in Southport on Saturday
Nigel Edge was identified as the suspect who opened fire from a boat into a crowd gathered at the American Fish Company in Southport on Saturday. The 40-year-old veteran is in custody, and now his previous lawsuits, even one against American Idol star Kellie Pickler, have surfaced.
Authorities on Sunday said that the attack in North Carolina was ‘highly premeditated’. Edge piloted a small boat close to shore, which was lined with bars and restaurants, stopped briefly and fired. He then sped away. He is charged with three counts of first-degree murder, five counts of attempted first-degree murder and five counts of assault with a deadly weapon.
“We understand this suspect identifies as a combat veteran. He self-identifies. Injured in the line of duty is what he’s saying, he suffers from PTSD,” an official said.
Read More: Nigel Max Edge: Southport shooter's Kellie Pickler link confirmed; Marine was injured in Iraq
Edge, who sustained a head wound during his military service in Iraq in 2006, has previously described ongoing health struggles, including nerve damage and a partially reconstructed skull. TMZ cited court filings to report that he has also pursued unusual legal battles in recent years.
Earlier this year, Edge, representing himself, filed a lawsuit claiming country singer Kellie Pickler once tried to poison him, as per the TMZ report. The filing alleged she handed him a spiked glass of Jim Beam while they attended the 2012 CMT Music Awards together. Edge said he survived only because he did not drink from the glass.
Reports at the time identified Pickler’s date as Sgt Sean DeBevoise, a wounded Marine, not Edge. TMZ also uncovered court documents showing DeBevoise later changed his name in 2023 and filed separate lawsuits alleging attempts on his life by a medical institution.
In addition to his claims against Pickler, Edge has also accused Brunswick Medical Center of trying to kill him. These lawsuits, combined with his violent arrest, have cast an even stranger light on his recent history.
Oak Island Police Chief Charlie Morris said the suspect was known to police as someone “who frequently hung out on our pier,” and that he had filed lawsuits against the town and police department over the last few years. He did not elaborate.
Officials did not immediately release the names of the victims.
(With AP inputs)
