The gunman who carried out what police described as a "targeted" mass shooting at a busy dockside restaurant in North Carolina was once a decorated Marine and Purple Heart recipient. He had served in Iraq before later changing his name and filing several lawsuits filled with conspiracy theories, according to officials and public records.
Nigel Edge — who legally changed his name from Sean DeBevoise in 2023 — was arrested on Saturday night after opening fire at the American Fish Company restaurant in the Southport Yacht Basin, 30 miles south of Wilmington. He unleashed a barrage of bullets on a crowd of unsuspecting diners, turning a night out into chaos, police said.
Madman's Carnage
Authorities said that three people were killed and eight others were wounded in the attack. Officials told reporters on Sunday that one of the injured victims remains "clinging to life." They also said that many of the diners at the restaurant were visiting from out of state.
Court documents reveal that Edge, 39, was carrying a short-barreled AR rifle, fitted with a suppressor, a folding stock, and a scope, when the attack occurred.
Authorities have described the suspect as a "lone wolf." He now faces three counts of first-degree murder, five counts of attempted first-degree murder, and five counts of assault with a deadly weapon.
Police say they have yet to determine his motive. However, public records show that Edge has been involved in several unusual lawsuits in North Carolina this year, including one in which he accused a Southport church of trying to kill him.
In May, Edge filed a lawsuit claiming that Generations Church was part of a "civil conspiracy" orchestrated by the LGBTQ community and white supremacist pedophiles to target him simply because he is "a straight man."
Earlier, in January, he had filed a similar case against Brunswick Medical Center, alleging that "LGBTQ White Supremacists" were plotting against him after he survived an attack during his time in Iraq.
Both of Edge's lawsuits were dismissed with prejudice, according to court records.
Premeditated Attack
The outlandish claims he made in court mirror those in a book he wrote under his former name, Sean DeBevoise, titled "Headshot: Betrayal of a Nation." In it, he describes being shot four times—including once in the head—by friendly fire as part of what he claims was an international conspiracy.
Edge says he served in the Marine Corps, with deployments to Haiti and two tours in Iraq, where he alleges he became entangled in the conspiracy. During his 2006 tour in Iraq, he says he was injured in two separate IED attacks and suffered a bullet wound that left shrapnel lodged in his head.
A U.S. military spokesperson confirmed that Edge served in the Marines from 2003 to 2009 and was deployed to Iraq in 2005 and 2006.
During his service, he earned numerous honors, including a Purple Heart, the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Iraq Campaign Medal with two bronze stars, Humanitarian Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal.
Authorities in North Carolina also identified Edge as a combat veteran who was reportedly struggling with PTSD.
Edge was once seen on the red carpet in 2012, accompanying "American Idol" star Kellie Pickler to the Country Music Awards.
After the mass shooting, police said Edge fled via the Intracoastal Waterway and was spotted around 10 p.m. trying to board a vessel at the Oak Island marina. He was later arrested by the U.S. Coast Guard.
