Solomon Adeoye Banjo, 36, a Black Nigerian-born male, was among three patrons killed when gunfire erupted at the American Fish Company in Southport, North Carolina, on the night of September 27, 2025. Around 9:30 p.m., a lone assailant in a boat opened fire toward the busy waterfront bar along the Cape Fear River, striking Banjo and others before speeding away toward Oak Island.
City officials later identified Banjo as a resident of Charlottesville, Virginia, and placed him alongside Joy Rogers, 64, of Southport, and Michael Durbin, 56, of Galena, Ohio, as the three people who died in the attack; five others were wounded. Banjo's family and friends remembered his wide-ranging life and roots in Nigeria as they mourned his death.
Within about half an hour of the shooting, a U.S. Coast Guard crew spotted a man matching the shooter's description loading a boat at the public ramp on NE 55th Street in Oak Island. Working with local police, they detained the individual, who was then turned over to Southport authorities. The suspect was identified as 40-year-old Nigel Max Edge. Officials announced that Edge was arrested and charged with three counts of first-degree murder, five counts of attempted first-degree murder, and five counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, and that there was no continuing threat to the public. Authorities later described the attack as highly premeditated and said the location was targeted. A probable cause hearing was scheduled for October 13, 2025, and a judge ordered that Edge be held without bond as the investigation continued.
Officials said the incident unfolded at 150 Yacht Basin Drive, a popular dockside gathering spot where live music and weekend crowds had drawn people to the riverfront. Investigators from multiple agencies, including the State Bureau of Investigation and federal partners, processed the scene and sought photos or video from anyone who had visited the venue on September 26 or 27. While some early reports varied on the number of people injured, the city's releases list five wounded, and authorities emphasized that only one shooter was involved.
