Nigel Max Edge, a Marine veteran who served in Iraq, has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder after a shooting at the American Fish Company restaurant dock in Southport, North Carolina. The incident left three people dead and several others injured.
Edge, also known as Sean DeBevoise, was recognized for his military service and received a Purple Heart. According to Marc Simmons, a former friend who spoke out on social media, Edge struggled with significant mental health issues following his time in combat. Simmons stated that Edge had been diagnosed with delusional disorder after spending time in a mental hospital.
Simmons described how their relationship deteriorated around 2019 due to Edge’s increasing paranoia. He recounted an incident where Edge accused him of being involved in conspiracies against him. This led Simmons to seek a no contact order and notify the courts about his concerns regarding Edge’s mental state and sniper training.
In his statement posted online, Simmons wrote: “I have received dozens of messages and calls today so I felt like had to say something. As many of you know now Sean, I refuse to call him Nigel, shot and killed 3 people and injured several others at American Fish Company last night. Sean was someone I once considered family… At the end of 2018 -Beginning of 2019, something changed. His paranoia grew, and despite us TRYING to help him, we grew distant.”
Simmons continued: “It was after this, that I notified the courts that this was a person that was not only mentally ill, but was also a trained SNIPER and steps should be taken and taken serious… The last time in court I was there for him breaking the No Contact order that was granted…the court responded with ‘He is not an immediate threat.’ Therefore we can not arrest him…The system FAILED, and now innocent people are dead cause people were afraid of making a decision…This was 100% predictable and 100% PREVENTABLE. The system is so fucking flawed!”
The case highlights ongoing concerns about gaps in mental health support for veterans returning from combat zones.
