Shooting at Paddle Inn: who is Benjamin Michael Campbell? — an investigative account

On September 6, 2025, a dispute over a political banner at the Paddle Inn Rafting Company in North Carolina’s Nantahala Gorge spiraled into gunfire. Authorities allege that 37-year-old Benjamin Michael Campbell tore down a pro-Trump banner and later fired multiple rounds from his vehicle toward the business owner’s home. Arrested weeks later in Georgia and extradited to North Carolina, Campbell now faces serious felony charges. This investigative account by Michael Lopez examines what’s verifiable, what remains unconfirmed, and how responsible reporting can separate fact from speculation in politically charged incidents.