Two deadly shootings—one at a North Carolina restaurant, the other at a Michigan church—are now linked by a startling connection: both suspects were Camp Lejeune Marines.
Over one harrowing weekend, the country was rocked by two deadly mass shootings in completely different states. What connects both tragedies is is that–both alleged shooters were U.S. Marine veterans who were stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina during the same time – and was both deployed to Iraq.
The Southport, NC Shooting: A Waterfront Turned Warzone
On Saturday night, September 27, 2025, patrons at the American Fish Company, a popular dockside bar in Southport, North Carolina, were enjoying a laid-back evening on the outdoor deck when gunfire suddenly erupted from a boat floating on the Intracoastal Waterway nearby.
Authorities say the shooter used an AR-style rifle fitted with a suppressor to target unsuspecting patrons. By the time the attack ended, three people were dead and at least five others injured.
The suspect was later identified as Nigel Max Edge, also known as Sean DeBevoise, a 40-year-old Marine veteran from Oak Island, North Carolina.
According to investigators, Edge fled the scene by boat but was tracked down and captured near Oak Island with the help of the U.S. Coast Guard and local police.
He is now facing multiple charges, including three counts of first-degree murder, five counts of attempted murder, and five counts of assault with a deadly weapon.
What makes the case even more disturbing is that Edge was previously stationed at Camp Lejeune and was last assigned to the Wounded Warrior Battalion East—suggesting he may have been under some form of treatment or surveillance for mental or physical trauma tied to his service.
Police said Edge acted alone.
Michigan Tragedy: A Church Becomes a War Zone
Just one day after the Southport mass shooting, on the morning of Sunday, September 28, 2025, worshippers gathered at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan.
That service quickly turned into a horror scene when Thomas Jacob Sanford allegedly drove his pickup truck into the church, stormed the sanctuary with a firearm, and set the building ablaze.
Hundreds were reportedly inside the church when the attack began. At least four people were killed and eight others injured, either from gunfire, smoke inhalation, or burns. Officials say more bodies may be found in the ruins of the church once the fire is fully extinguished.
Sanford was killed during a shootout with police, roughly eight minutes after the first 911 call. Investigators also found signs he may have been carrying explosives and used gasoline or another accelerant to spark the fire.
Like Edge, Sanford was also a U.S. Marine veteran. Military records show he enlisted in 2004, served until 2008, and was stationed at Camp Lejeune as part of a maintenance battalion. That timeline overlaps directly with Edge’s service window.
