Three people were killed and eight others were injured when someone on a boat opened fire on patrons of a waterfront eatery at a North Carolina marina on Saturday night, a city official said.
The boat paused in front of American Fish Company at Southport Yacht Basin and a gunman opened fire, said ChyAnn Ketchum, spokesperson for the city of Southport.
Details on the conditions of the injured were unavailable.
The shooter fled toward the adjacent Intracoastal Waterway, Ketchum said. A person of interest was being questioned late Saturday, the spokesperson said.
The earlier report of an active shooter at the marina prompted a law enforcement response. The city of Southport in a statement had urged people in the area to “remain in your homes” and report anyone suspicious to authorities via 911.
The Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office said that it is one of multiple law enforcement agencies in the region that responded to the incident.
“Please keep all those affected, as well as our first responders, in your thoughts and prayers,” the sheriff’s office said.
The yacht basin exists in the southeastern corner of the state “where the Intracoastal Waterway, Cape Fear River and Atlantic Ocean converge,” according to state tourism organization Visit North Carolina.
The basin is lined with restaurants, it says.
Insiya Gandhi contributed.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
