Veteran with History of PTSD and Legal Battles Struggled with Mental Health Before Southport Shooting

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Nigel Max Edge, formerly known as Sean DeBevoise, is a veteran who served multiple tours of duty and was injured in Iraq, according to online records.  

Edge’s ex-wife, Rachel Crowl, says he was never the same after he was injured. 

“When Sean was wounded initially and came out of his coma, his memories were not what they are now,” said Crowl.  

Crowl says after suffering from a traumatic brain injury and PTSD, Edge became delusional and began diving into conspiracy theories.   

Crowl says Edge thought the whole world was against him.  

“He isolated himself; he pushed everybody away that knew him, I mean his own family, he thinks that they were out to get him, like the entire world, everybody he met was out to get him,” said Crowl.  

Years later, Edge began suing numerous people, including his parents, the Town of Oak Island, Novant Health NHRMC, and the US Department of Veterans Affairs. 

In the lawsuit involving his parents, his mother Sandra wrote in an affidavit “The plaintiff suffers from war injuries and he suffers from delusions and PTSD. The VA needs to take care of him!” 

Crowl also believes Edge never got the help he needed, and that veterans in general do not receive the help they need, especially returning from trauma inducing situations.  

“‘How are you feeling?’ ‘Do you think you’re good enough to go home?’ I think it should be ‘You just went through extreme trauma, experienced things that most people don’t experience, and we’re going to make sure that you get help, whether you want it or not’,” said Crowl.  

On September 16th, his most recent lawsuit against the VA was dismissed. 

He filed a notice to appeal on Thursday, just three days before the shooting in Southport.