Gunfire from a Boat Turns Deadly at North Carolina Waterfront Restaurant
Southport, North Carolina — The tranquility of this historic coastal haven was brutally fractured Saturday night when an assailant, operating from a boat on the Intracoastal Waterway, opened fire on a crowded waterfront restaurant. The unprecedented act of violence at the American Fish Company dockside establishment killed at least three patrons and left several others wounded, introducing a terrifying new dimension to mass casualty events in the United States.
The Chaos on the Coastline
The attack unfolded at approximately 9:30 p.m. at the popular American Fish Company, a bar and grill overlooking the Southport Yacht Basin. The establishment was reportedly full of diners and live music enthusiasts enjoying a warm weekend evening.
According to multiple eyewitnesses, the shooter’s method was chillingly deliberate: a small watercraft approached the busy dock, paused briefly in the dark channel, and then gunfire erupted into the clustered group of people before the boat sped away.
"It was chaos. One moment we were listening to music, the next it was loud pops and people diving under tables," recalled one survivor.
Three victims were pronounced dead at the scene, and preliminary reports confirm that between six and eight others were rushed to local hospitals, turning a night of leisure into a triage operation. The incident forced a massive, multi-jurisdictional emergency response that initially locked down the quiet, 4,300-resident town.
Rapid Detention and Search for Motive
The unique nature of the escape quickly brought the U.S. Coast Guard into the pursuit. Within hours, authorities achieved a major breakthrough: a man matching the shooter’s description was detained on nearby Oak Island after he was spotted loading a boat at a public ramp.
The individual has been taken into custody by local police as a "person of interest." As of Sunday, officials have held his identity and have not yet announced formal charges, but the focus of the multi-agency investigation has pivoted sharply to establishing a clear motive. Investigators comprising the Southport Police Department, the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office, the SBI, ATF, and the Coast Guard are urgently trying to determine if the attack was a targeted act, a dispute gone wrong, or a random outburst of lethal violence.
A Community's Shattered Sense of Safety
The shockwaves from the tragedy have profoundly affected Southport, a town known for its peaceful, historic charm and family-oriented tourism. The use of a boat as a platform for an attack, a method rarely seen in U.S. mass shootings has left residents stunned and questioning the security of their typically serene coastline.
“This place thrives on its safety and quiet lifestyle. This is the last thing anyone in a coastal town ever expects,” said one concerned local business owner.
The incident underscores the growing challenge for law enforcement in adapting to new and unexpected modes of attack, forcing coastal and maritime security to re-evaluate protection strategies for public areas accessible by water. Authorities continue to appeal for any video evidence or witness statements that can help piece together the final hours leading up to the shocking event.
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