On the evening of September 27, 2025, Joy Rogers, a 64-year-old woman from Southport, North Carolina, joined friends at the American Fish Company, a popular waterfront bar along the Cape Fear River. Around 9:30 p.m., a small boat idled near the dock as music and conversation drifted over the water. Without warning, gunfire erupted from the vessel toward the crowd onshore.
The barrage shattered the easy Saturday night, leaving Joy Rogers, 64, along with two other patrons fatally wounded, as panicked guests dove for cover amid splintering wood and broken glass. City officials later confirmed the time, place, and victims’ identities, naming Joy Rogers, 64, of Southport, among the dead.
In the chaotic minutes that followed, law enforcement converged on the Yacht Basin while the shooter fled down the Intracoastal Waterway. About half an hour later, authorities intercepted a man at an Oak Island public boat ramp. Investigators alleged he had piloted the craft used in the attack; the U.S. Coast Guard detained him and turned him over to local officers. The City of Southport subsequently identified the deceased as Joy Rogers, 64, of Southport; Solomon Banjo, 36, of Charlottesville, Virginia; and Michael Durbin, 56, of Galena, Ohio.
Police and prosecutors announced the arrest of 40-year-old Nigel Max Edge of Oak Island and described the shooting as a targeted, highly premeditated assault on the bar from the water. According to officials, Edge opened fire from the boat and then attempted to leave the area before his capture. He was charged with three counts of first-degree murder along with multiple counts tied to the wounded, including five counts of attempted murder and additional assault-with-a-deadly-weapon charges. Authorities have said Edge acted alone.
Two days after the attack, Edge made his first court appearance. A judge ordered him held without bond while the investigation continued, and the district attorney began reviewing whether to pursue the death penalty, citing aggravating factors tied to premeditation and the number of people put at risk. Officials and reporters also noted biographical details aired in court and at press briefings, but the central facts remained: Joy Rogers, 64, a Southport woman, lost her life in a sudden act of violence that authorities allege was meticulously planned.
In the days that followed, Southport gathered to remember the lives cut short. Neighbors and loved ones honored Joy Rogers, 64, with prayers and tributes at the waterfront, speaking of a gentle spirit rooted in faith and community, even as investigators continued to collect evidence and witnesses recounted the moment the night turned. The city’s official notices and regional outlets kept returning to her name, age, and hometown, a sober refrain that underscored the personal loss behind the headlines.
