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Southport police describe fast, multiagency response to Sept. 27 mass-shooting
Summary
Police Chief Corey briefed the Southport City Council on the Sept. 27 mass-shooting at American Fish Company, describing minute-by-minute response, multiagency coordination, lifesaving field medical tactics and plans for an after-action review; the chief said Southport Cares distributed about $242,000 to those affected.
Southport Police Chief Corey told the City Council that officers and multiple partner agencies mounted a rapid and coordinated response to the Sept. 27 mass-shooting at American Fish Company, actions he said helped prevent a broader loss of life.
In a roughly 20-minute update, Chief Corey described the event timeline, the immediate dispatch and escalation to an active-assailant response, and the arrival of mutual-aid units. "In minute 1, the initial dispatch of the incident came from a caller working at American Fish Company," he said, and within minutes dispatchers were receiving multiple calls. He thanked telecommunicators as "truly the first responders" for triaging calls and notifying outside agencies.
The chief credited coordinated tactics and training for saving lives, saying officers performed on-scene medical interventions—including tourniquets and CPR—before EMS could enter safely. "Our officers used tactical medical skills such as flying tourniquets and providing aid before EMS could safely enter the scene," he said, and praised the seamless coordination among police, fire, EMS and state and federal partners.
Chief Corey gave specifics about resource mobilization: he said the overall response included "80 plus law enforcement officers" supported by county, state and federal units and more than 30 fire and EMS personnel. He said multiple crime scenes were handled, the scene remained under investigation with the FBI, ATF and state partners, and an after-action review is scheduled next week to document lessons learned and actionable recommendations.
The chief also recounted community support and recovery resources. He said Southport Cares "received approximately $242,000 in support" for those affected and that the funds were distributed directly to victims. He urged continued community support, emphasized responder wellness and said investigations and meetings with federal and state partners remain ongoing.
The briefing concluded with the chief answering council questions and the mayor thanking law enforcement and emergency personnel for their work. The council did not take any formal policy action at this agenda item; Chief Corey said the investigation remains active and that coordination with outside agencies will continue.
