Accused N.C. Gunman Sued Kellie Pickler for Allegedly Trying to Kill Him

The man arrested for allegedly shooting 3 people dead in a bizarre boat attack in North Carolina Saturday night sued Kellie Pickler, claiming she tried to poison him, earlier this year -- over a decade after he was her date to the CMT Music Awards.

Once you soak that in ... let us explain. Nigel Edge, a Brunswick County resident, has been accused of shooting down 3 people and injuring 8 others at the American Fish Company saloon in Southport, North Carolina Saturday night.

In February, the same man accused Pickler of trying to take his life by poisoning him the same night they attended the CMTs together in 2012, according to court documents obtained by TMZ. He even includes a photo of the pair at the event -- notably, he calls it the CMA Awards, but the photo shows them at the CMTs.

Edge claims in his lawsuit that the former "American Idol" contestant handed him a poisoned glass of Jim Beam at the big event, and he's only alive to tell the tale because he did not drink it.

The suspected murderer represented himself in the filing. TMZ has reached out to Pickler's legal team for comment ... so far, no word back.

But wait, there's more! There are several articles depicting their time at the CMTs, which label the country singer taking a wounded Marine as her date ... Sgt. Sean DeBevoise.

TMZ obtained a document showing DeBevoise filed to change his name in 2023 ... and names his former and current names in another lawsuit he filed earlier this year, alleging a medical institution tried to kill him as well.

So not only did he sue Pickler for allegedly trying to off him, he also accused the Brunswick Medical Center in North Carolina of doing the same.

Edge details his sustained injuries from a 2006 attack while he was serving in Iraq in his Brunswick lawsuit. He claims he almost died after getting shot in the head, and now has nerve damage and a skull that's half plastic.