A pair of mass shootings and horrendous attacks that occurred over the past week \u2013 one in North Carolina and the other in Michigan \u2013 appear to have one thing in common: Both suspects are former members of the U.S. military.<\/p>\n
Police said a lone gunman killed three people and wounded five others late Saturday at a crowded waterfront bar in North Carolina in what investigators described as a \u201chighly premeditated\u201d attack.<\/p>\n
Nigel Max Edge, 40, was detained by the U.S. Coast Guard and, on Sunday morning, charged with three counts of first-degree murder, five counts of attempted murder, and five counts of assault with a deadly weapon. Court records list no attorney for Edge, and jail records show he remains held without bond, NBC News reports.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe acted alone,\u201d Southport Police Chief Todd Coring told reporters Sunday morning. \u201cThis is highly premeditated, from what we\u2019re seeing at this time, and we feel there are no other threats to our community.\u201d<\/p>\n
Court records show Edge legally changed his name in 2023 from Sean William Debevoise.<\/p>\n
Coring told reporters that Edge is a \u201cself-described\u201d combat veteran who said he was wounded in the line of duty and suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.<\/p>\n
Military records indicate he served in the Marines from September 2003 to June 2009, reaching the rank of sergeant and deploying twice as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The records list a Purple Heart, a Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, a Combat Action Ribbon for Iraq and an Iraq Campaign Medal with two bronze stars among his awards.<\/p>\n