One of the three people killed in a shooting at a Southport business over the weekend was a retiree, wife and mother.
Joy Rogers had moved to the North Carolina coast from California. Her husband, Lennie Rogers, told WECT News that she was one of the people killed at American Fish Company, a waterfront pub that often allows patrons scenic views of boats traveling along the Intracoastal Waterway. On Saturday night, it was a scene of tragedy, with a woman of faith and family taken too soon.
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Lennie Rogers shared his thoughts in his wife's honor.
“Joy was a devoted wife to her husband and a loving mother of three. Born and raised in California, she and her family moved to Southport just a year ago to enjoy their retirement. In that short time, she touched countless lives in her community."-- Lennie Rogers
Lennie Rogers was with his wife at the time of the shooting, but he was not hurt. Joy Rogers attended Living Word Bible Church in Winnabow.
Solomon Banjo, a 36-year-old from Charlottesville, Virginia, and Michael Durbin, a 56-year-old from Galena, Ohio, were also killed in the shooting. Six others were injured and taken to the hospital.
Nigel Edge, who was on a boat when he opened fire, was arrested and faces charges. Edge lives in Oak Island, served in the military and is said to suffer from PTSD.
The act was "highly premeditated," according to investigators, and the pub was said to be targeted. A motive for the shooting is not known.
One man who was at the pub spoke with WRAL, saying he was forever changed by seeing the bullets and hearing the chaos.
"You just never see it in real life"
Todd Weaver was inside the bar when the shooting happened. He said the ordeal was over in seconds, but the memory of people running for cover will stay with him.
"You see it in the movies. You just never see it in real life," Weaver said. "Never thought it'd be here either. People laid out ... the screaming and the yelling just doesn't go away...a lot of people around here are shaken up."
Weaver said he's a regular at American Fish Company and lives in Southport.
"Southport is known across the state as a tight-knit community," Gov. Josh Stein said. "All of us can imagine, a warm Saturday night, a special date night sitting on the dock by the water ... no one goes into that thinking tragedy is possible, but two nights ago, it happened."
Others who were inside at the time of the shooting described their experience off-camera, saying it will never be forgotten.
Stein commended the work of law enforcement agencies who worked on the case, including Oak Island and Southport police, Brunswick County Sheriff's Office, North Carolina State Highway Patrol, State Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Coast Guard.
He said, "Within a half hour, they were working together as a coordinated entity and they found this guy within 30 minutes as he was getting his boat off the boat ramp; and he was loaded to bear so who knows where he would have gone or what he would have done, but their incredible police work brought an end to that moment."
Edge made an appearance in court on Monday, and he was held without bond on 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.
American Fish Company is closed in the wake of the shooting.
"We are closed until further notice," a statement on the pub's website read. "Thank you for your understanding and support."
As of Friday, the six who were taken to the hospital in the shooting were released.