GREENSBORO, N.C. — Tarell Isaac McMillian, 34, has been identified as the suspect in the first-degree murder of Greensboro Police Officer Michael Horan. Officer Horan was killed on December 23rd, just two days before Christmas, while responding to a call at a Food Lion store in northern Greensboro. Reports of a man with a firearm inside the store came in just before 11 a.m.
Shortly after arriving, Officer Horan encountered McMillian, and a brief struggle ensued. Police say McMillian then shot the officer before fleeing the scene in a car. The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) reported that Officer Horan did not have time to draw his weapon. Assistant Police Chief MJ Harris stated during a Monday afternoon news conference that the circumstances leading to the shooting are under investigation.
Officer Horan, hired in 2017 and sworn in as an officer in 2018, was described by the Greensboro Police Department as an “excellent” officer with an outstanding reputation. He is survived by his wife and children. Memorials have been established in his honor at police headquarters, one outside and one in the main lobby. The Greensboro Police Officer Association has also set up an online fundraiser to support Horan’s family.
A high-speed chase, spanning 150 miles and involving law enforcement agencies across multiple counties (Johnston, Sampson, and Duplin), concluded several hours after the Food Lion shooting, and sources have connected it to the case. The chase began in Johnston County, ended near Warsaw at the Duplin County line (Exit 355, NC-403), and resulted in McMillian’s apprehension. The SBI indicated that charges were pending against McMillian at the time of this report.
Food Lion released a statement expressing deep sadness and offering condolences. They stated they are cooperating with authorities and that the store remains closed pending the investigation’s completion. The Greensboro Police Department has requested that the SBI lead the investigation.
Governor Roy Cooper offered his condolences to Officer Horan’s family and fellow officers via X (formerly Twitter), praising the fallen officer’s courageous service and calling the act a senseless act of violence.
This marks the second Greensboro police officer killed in the past twelve months. Officer Philip Dale Nix was fatally shot on December 30, 2023, while off-duty and attempting to stop a crime at a Sheetz convenience store. Three individuals were arrested in connection with Nix’s death.