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The post set off alarms across the community as residents scrambled for safety while police swarmed the area.
ChyAnn Ketchum, public information officer for Southport, told local reporters that the attack was sudden and horrifying.
According to Ketchum, “three people were killed and eight others were injured Saturday, Sept. 27.”
She explained that around 9:30 p.m., a boat pulled up to the dock of the American Fish Company restaurant. “The boat paused,” Ketchum said, “and then the shooter fired into the crowd.”
Within seconds, the attacker sped away on the waterway, disappearing before authorities could arrive.
The restaurant where the shooting took place is a well-known Southport landmark. American Fish Co. calls itself the town’s “best waterfront pub,” a spot where locals and visitors gather for food, drinks, and live entertainment. Saturday night had been no different — the venue had live music scheduled before the night turned deadly.
The restaurant’s motto, proudly displayed for years, reads: Family, Friends, Freedom.
Now, the scene is surrounded by crime tape as investigators work to piece together what happened.
At a press conference around 1 a.m. Sunday, Southport Police Chief Todd Coring revealed that officers were working two separate locations: the restaurant where the shooting happened and a second site on Oak Island where a person of interest was being questioned.
Coring told reporters it was still too soon to discuss a motive but confirmed that additional law enforcement patrols had been deployed across the area to keep residents safe.
Southport is a small, picturesque town about 160 miles southeast of Raleigh and 32 miles south of Wilmington. The Cape Fear River and Intracoastal Waterway make it a hub for boating, fishing, and waterfront dining — not the kind of place where residents expect to witness mass violence.
For now, families are mourning, authorities are searching for answers, and the peaceful reputation of Southport has been shaken by a gunman who turned a quiet evening into a scene of tragedy.
