GREENSBORO, N.C. – The law enforcement community is mourning one of its own, 44-year-old Beach Haven native Officer Michael Horan.
Horan responded to a report of an armed man at a grocery store on December 23. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation said Horan was the first officer to arrive. The suspect shot the officer before driving off. Horan did not even have time to draw his weapon.
The suspect, Tarell McMillian, 34, of Greensboro was caught hours later after a high speed chase and charged with first-degree murder.
Horan had been hired by Greensboro Police in 2017. For about 22 years prior to that, he was a lieutenant, lifeguard, and instructor at the Beach Haven Beach Patrol, officials said.
“Together, we are mourning Officer Horan – who was a husband, father, son, friend, and much more to his family,” Chief MJ Harris said to the media.
The Beach Haven Beach Patrol shared a story online in 2019 about Horan, who they called “Junior” when he guarded the Fifth Street beach for a number of years.
They said when Horan was vacationing on Emerald Isle, North Carolina, he was sitting on a beach when he heard a voice calling for help. He dove into a rip current and swam to rescue a father and a 12-year-old son 60 yards offshore.
In 2019, the Greensboro Police Department posted about Horan for Coast Guard Day, since he served for 18 years in the Coast Guard.
“While serving, he conducted NYC and DC 9-11 harbor defense operations in the days following the attacks. He was part of the first Coast Guard Counter-Terrorism unit in Seattle. He has been stationed in NC, VA, WA, St. Thomas US Virgin Islands, NY, and NJ where he conducted counter-terror, counter-narcotics and counter human trafficking missions.”
A fundraiser for his family has already earned more than $100,000: helpahero.com/campaign/greensboro-police-officer-michael-t-horan
According to the Help A Hero site, “He was a father, husband, son, friend, and much more to his family. He was a protector and provider and an excellent example of what a person should be.”
They said “The loss of a man like Michael Horan rips a hole in the hearts of his family, squad mates, friends, and community. He will not be present with his family at this time of year due to a senseless killing. The city lost an excellent officer, the Coast Guard lost a coast guardsman, but most importantly, his children lost a father, a wife lost a husband, and a family lost a pillar of strength. Our hearts are with his family during this time.”
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