Authorities are continuing to investigate the deadly mass shooting that erupted late Saturday night at the American Fish Company restaurant in the Southport Yacht Basin, leaving three people dead and at least six injured.
Nigel Max Edge Southport Mass Shooting Suspect Identified as Troubled Ex-Marine with History of Lawsuits and Conspiracy Claims
Officials say the gunman opened fire from a boat positioned on the Cape Fear River before fleeing toward nearby Oak Island. While police have not formally released the suspect’s name, multiple reports and online accounts have linked the case to Sean William DeBevoise, a former Marine who later legally changed his name to Nigel Max Edge.
A Decorated but Wounded Veteran
DeBevoise, now in his early 40s, enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps after the September 11th attacks. He served in Afghanistan, Haiti, and Iraq, where he sustained multiple injuries, including a serious head wound in 2006. He later claimed that the injuries left him with lasting brain trauma, paranoia, and symptoms associated with schizophrenia.
In 2012, DeBevoise briefly entered the public eye when country singer Kellie Pickler invited him to the CMT Music Awards as her guest, honoring him as a wounded veteran. Years later, however, their connection soured. DeBevoise later sued Pickler, alleging she had attempted to murder him—one of many bizarre claims he would make in federal filings over the following decade.
Self-Published Memoir and Conspiracy Allegations
Under his adopted name, Nigel Max Edge, DeBevoise published a memoir on Amazon titled “Headshot: Betrayal of a Nation.” In the book, he alleged that he had been betrayed by fellow Marines, claiming he was shot by friendly fire and left to die in Iraq. He described being abandoned in a warehouse, suffering gunshot wounds including one to the head, and returning home to what he characterized as a government cover-up.
On social media, DeBevoise frequently accused the U.S. military, CIA, and North Carolina law enforcement of targeting him in conspiracies. He alleged he had been kidnapped, drugged, poisoned, and forced into a “fake family.” He also accused officials and groups—including Jeffrey Epstein and LGBTQ communities—of involvement in human trafficking and assassination plots.
A Pattern of Unusual Lawsuits
Court records show that DeBevoise filed a string of lawsuits over the past decade, many dismissed for failure to state a claim. His filings ranged from allegations of government corruption to claims of hate crimes, medical sabotage, and targeted poisoning.
His most recent lawsuit, filed July 25, 2025, targeted Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center and two doctors. In it, he accused medical staff of discrimination tied to “LGBTQ codes” and of deliberately obstructing his care.
Other lawsuits linked his personal grievances to global scandals, including the Iraq War, Abu Ghraib, and even the September 11th attacks.
From Veteran to Fisherman
In recent years, DeBevoise attempted to start a fishing business in Oak Island. He raised nearly $18,500 through a GoFundMe campaign to purchase a single-engine boat, which he said would provide him a fresh start. That boat is believed to have been used in the Southport attack.
In a fundraiser video, he spoke of growing up in New City, New York, and being in high school during the 9/11 attacks, which he said motivated him to join the Marines.
Ongoing Investigation
Southport Police Chief Todd Coring confirmed at a press conference that investigators are examining two active crime scenes—the restaurant where the shooting occurred and a location on Oak Island, where a person of interest is being questioned.
“It is too early to determine a motive,” Chief Coring said, noting that federal agencies are assisting in the investigation. 
As the community mourns the lives lost in Saturday night’s tragedy, questions remain about how a decorated veteran once honored on a national stage became the suspected perpetrator of one of the deadliest shootings in Southport’s history.
