Three people were killed and eight others were wounded when a suspected shooter opened fire at a busy dockside restaurant in North Carolina.
Nigel Edge was arrested on Saturday night when he reportedly pulled up to the American Fish Company restaurant in Southport Yacht Basin, which is around 30 miles south of Wilmington, and started shooting at the group of unwary diners, according to investigators.
In court records, Edge, 39, is accused of carrying a short barrel AR rifle with a silencer, a folding stock, and a scope.
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Nigel Edge: Charges against Southport NC mass shooting suspect
Edge is charged with three first-degree murder charges, five first-degree murder attempt charges, and five charges of assault with a dangerous weapon, NY POST reported.
According to the authorities, the motivation is yet unknown.
{{/usCountry}}According to the authorities, the motivation is yet unknown.
{{/usCountry}}The gunman fled swiftly on the Intracoastal Waterway after the mass shooting and was seen attempting to load a boat at the Oak Island marina at around 10 o'clock at night, officials said.
The US Coast Guard took him into custody.
Nigel Edge arrested: Here's what happens next
Edge was being detained without bond at the Brunswick County Detention Center, as per court documents. He was scheduled to show up for his initial appearance in court on Monday.
Southport Police Chief Todd Coring requested people offer prayers for the victims and stated that the investigation was still underway.
“We’re a small community, one of the communities where everybody knows everybody,” Coring told reporters. “It’s just a very tragic night.”
Around 9:30 p.m., the gunfire broke out in Southport, a historic port town located about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of Wilmington, close to a well-known strip of eateries and bars along the shore. The attacker reportedly arrived in a small boat, stopped for a moment, started shooting at the crowd, and then quickly drove off along the shore.
After 30 minutes, a US Coast Guard crew member noticed a boat being pulled out of the sea at a public ramp on nearby Oak Island. The person was then taken into custody and turned over to Southport police for further probe, according to officials.