Two horrifying mass shootings unfolded over the weekend in different corners of the United States, each leaving communities reeling and reigniting urgent debates over mental health, gun violence, and public safety. In North Carolina, a decorated Marine veteran opened fire from a boat at a busy waterfront bar, killing three and injuring five more. Meanwhile, in Michigan, a former Marine crashed his car into a church full of worshippers before unleashing gunfire and setting the building ablaze, leaving at least four dead and eight wounded. The tragedies, though separated by hundreds of miles, share unsettling similarities and have prompted calls for unity, reform, and healing.
Saturday night in Southport, North Carolina, was supposed to be a peaceful one for vacationers and locals gathered at the American Fish Company, a popular bar in the historic port town. Instead, chaos erupted when Nigel Edge, a 40-year-old Marine combat veteran, piloted his boat close to shore, stopped, and began firing an assault rifle at the crowd. According to city officials and reporting from the Associated Press, three people were killed and five others wounded in what Police Chief Todd Coring described as a "highly premeditated" and targeted attack. Edge was apprehended about half an hour later by a U.S. Coast Guard crew after he was spotted pulling his boat from the water at a public ramp on Oak Island, where he lived.
Edge appeared in a North Carolina courtroom on Monday, September 29, where a judge ordered him held without bond. He faces charges of murder, attempted murder, and assault. A probable cause hearing is set for October 13. As of Monday, five victims remained hospitalized, but authorities have not yet released their identities. The city spokesperson confirmed that Edge, who changed his name from Sean DeBevoise in 2023, told police he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from combat injuries sustained during his military service.
Military records show Edge served from 2003 to 2009, achieving the rank of sergeant and deploying twice to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was awarded a Purple Heart, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, and Iraq Campaign Medal with two bronze stars. His last duty station was with the Wounded Warrior Battalion East at Camp Lejeune. Details of his injuries remain undisclosed, but a 2017 Wilmington Star-News article described him as a Marine sniper left for dead after being shot four times, including once in the head, during a 2006 raid in Iraq.
Edge’s troubled recent years were marked by a series of lawsuits and personal grievances. Legal records show he filed multiple suits, including a May 2025 claim accusing a local church of trying to make him commit suicide because "he is not LGBQT or a pedophile." In another, he alleged that his parents had falsified his birth certificate for a "feral child." His mother, Sandra Lynn DeBevoise, responded in court documents: "Plaintiff suffers from war injuries and he suffers from delusions and PTSD. The VA needs to take care of him!!!" Edge’s petition to change his name cited a lack of trust in his family and a desire to start anew.
Governor Josh Stein responded to the shooting by highlighting the urgent need for mental health care reform in the state. "We know that the vast majority of folks with mental health challenges pose no risk to others, but some can," Stein said, as reported by WWAY-TV. "There are too many people in our communities with dangerous obsessions exhibiting threatening behavior who do pose risks." Stein referenced a recently passed criminal justice reform bill that increases the emphasis on mental health examinations for defendants, though it lacks a "red flag" law that would allow judges to remove firearms from individuals deemed a grave risk. Stein noted he supports such measures, though it is unclear if they would have applied in this case.
Just a day later and nearly a thousand miles to the north, Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, was the scene of another tragedy. On Sunday, September 28, Thomas Jacob Sanford, also 40 and a former Marine, drove a vehicle through the front doors of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during a crowded service. According to NBC News and statements from local authorities, Sanford exited the vehicle and began firing an assault rifle at parishioners before being killed by police. The attack left at least four people dead and eight wounded, with victims ranging in age from six to 78. Two victims remained in critical condition as of Monday.
Authorities discovered as many as three improvised explosive devices at the scene, described by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives special agent James Dier as "pretty basic in nature"—essentially consumer fireworks taped together. None were detonated, and their presence only deepened the mystery surrounding Sanford’s motives. The FBI, which has interviewed over 100 witnesses, continues to investigate the attack as an "act of targeted violence," though officials have said it did not appear highly planned.
Witnesses and officials praised the bravery of worshippers who shielded children from gunfire and helped evacuate the wounded. Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson described seeing firefighters crawling through rubble and children remaining "stoic" due to active shooter drills at their schools. "Those are our snapshots. This is what unity looks like," Swanson reflected. Police Chief Bill Renye noted that officers arrived within 30 seconds of the first call and neutralized the shooter eight minutes later.
Sanford’s family, in a statement to NBC News, expressed devastation and confusion over his actions, calling for privacy as they grieve. Former colleagues described Sanford as a loving father and community member, known for his generosity and sense of humor. "Everyone’s just going, ‘What happened?’ Where in his life did it crack?" said Garry Reynolds Jr., a former coworker. No clear motive has emerged, and authorities have not indicated that Sanford’s political views or personal life played a role.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer addressed the state, urging unity and caution against speculation. "We cannot keep living our lives like this," she said. "Let’s keep doing work together. ... Be kind, and let’s love our neighbors." Senator Elissa Slotkin echoed these sentiments, calling the attack "abhorrent to any good human being" and urging the community to resist conspiracies and misinformation.
Both shootings have left deep scars on their communities and reignited complex questions about mental health, gun access, and the limits of current laws. As investigations continue and families mourn, officials and residents alike are left to grapple with the aftermath—and the hope that, somehow, unity and reform might prevent the next tragedy.
