SOUTHPORT, N.C. (AP) — Authorities reported that three individuals were killed and at least eight others injured late Saturday when shots were fired from a boat into a crowd in front of a waterfront bar in a coastal town in North Carolina.
The incident took place around 9:30 p.m. near a well-known area of bars and restaurants along Southport’s waterfront, a historic port town located approximately 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of Wilmington. Investigators revealed that the perpetrator maneuvered a small boat close to the shoreline, paused briefly, and opened fire into the gathering, then sped away.
About 30 minutes later, a U.S. Coast Guard team noticed an individual matching the suspect’s description pulling a boat from the water at a public ramp on nearby Oak Island. The individual was detained and handed over to Southport police for further questioning, officials reported.
The authorities have not disclosed the suspect’s identity or any possible motives for the attack at American Fish Company. Investigators from multiple agencies, including the State Bureau of Investigation and the Coast Guard, continued to gather evidence and interview witnesses both on the water and at the scene on Sunday.
Officials did not immediately release the names of those killed or say provide information on the conditions of those who were wounded.
