Authorities say the man accused of killing three people and injuring several others in a mass shooting at a North Carolina waterfront restaurant had a surprising past connection to country star Kellie Pickler.

Court records show he once sued the singer, claiming she tried to poison him at a major music awards show more than a decade ago.

The suspect, identified as 39-year-old Nigel Edge, was arrested Saturday night after allegedly opening fire at the American Fish Company in Southport, a popular spot along the Yacht Basin.

Police say Edge used a short-barrel AR-style rifle outfitted with a suppressor and scope in the attack, which left three dead and five more injured.

He now faces multiple counts of first-degree murder and attempted murder.

Edge is no stranger to public attention. In 2012, he appeared alongside Pickler at the CMT Music Awards in Nashville.

Then known as Sgt. Sean DeBevoise, a Marine veteran, he attended the event in uniform as Pickler's invited guest, NY Post said.

At the time, he expressed gratitude for the singer's support of military families, describing her as "an angel" during red-carpet interviews.

But their connection later took a bizarre turn. In February, Edge filed a lawsuit accusing Pickler of handing him a poisoned glass of whiskey during the awards show. He claimed he survived only because he never drank it.

Edge Sued Pickler and Local Institutions Before Deadly Attack

Court filings, obtained by TMZ, show Edge representing himself in the case. He repeatedly referred to the event as the "CMAs" instead of the CMTs, even while attaching photos of himself and Pickler from that night.

The accusations against Pickler were not the only unusual claims Edge made in recent years.

Records reveal he also filed lawsuits against Brunswick Medical Center and a local church, alleging they were part of conspiracies to kill him.

Many of those cases were dismissed. He even self-published a book in which he wrote about his wartime injuries and framed them as part of a wider plot.

Military records confirm Edge served in Iraq and survived multiple injuries, including a bullet wound to the head.

In his lawsuit against the medical center, he claimed parts of his skull had been replaced with plastic after the attack.

Friends and neighbors told investigators they believed he struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder and was increasingly consumed by conspiracy theories.

As for the lawsuit against Pickler, her representatives have not commented publicly. The singer, a former "American Idol" finalist, has not been accused of any wrongdoing.

Tags
Kellie pickler