BEACH HAVEN, NJ — Police Officer Michael T. Horan, 44, was shot and killed Saturday morning while responding to a report of a man with a firearm at the Food Lion on 4709 Lawndale Drive, according to Greensboro police. Authorities said the suspect, 34-year-old Tarell Isaac McMillian of Greensboro, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder.
The incident unfolded around 11 a.m., police said, when Officer Horan arrived at the grocery store following reports of an armed individual. Details of the encounter that led to the shooting have not been released. McMillian was taken into custody shortly afterward and is being held without bond at the Guilford County Jail.
Officer Horan, a seven-year veteran of the Greensboro Police Department, was also a decorated U.S. Coast Guard veteran. In addition to his military service, he spent more than two decades on the Beach Haven Beach Patrol in New Jersey, providing lifeguard and emergency medical services from 1995 to 2017, according to the nonprofit organization Help a Hero.
Horan is survived by his wife and children, the department said in a statement. His death marks a tragic loss for the Greensboro community, where he served with distinction, and for the South Jersey town of Beach Haven, where he spent much of his life.
McMillian’s court date has not yet been set. Greensboro police said they are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting.
A police escort for Horan is scheduled for today at 4:30 pm en route to be escorted to Hanes Lineberry Funeral Home at 6000 West Gate City Blvd, Greensboro.