Greensboro Officer Michael Horan was a loving husband and father, according to his department
Suspect arrested after officer killed in North Carolina grocery store shooting
A suspect is handcuffed and arrested after a police officer was killed in a shooting at a North Carolina Food Lion store just days before Christmas. (Credit: WRAL)
A North Carolina police officer was killed Monday morning when an armed man open fired inside a Greensboro Food Lion grocery store.
Greensboro Police Officer Michael Horan, 44, responded to a call about a man with a gun inside the store at about 11 a.m., according to the department. During the encounter, Horan was fatally shot.
The circumstances are currently being investigated, according to police.
A suspect was taken into custody in connection to the shooting.
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Greensboro Police Officer Michael Horan was killed after responding to a call about a man with a gun inside a Food Lion.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations is leading the investigation, but did not immediately respond to requests for suspect information.
The department described Horan as a loving husband and father with an "outstanding reputation" within the department and community.
"We ask that you please keep his family, friends and fellow officers in your thoughts and prayers," a spokesperson said Monday afternoon.
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A Food Lion spokesperson expressed condolences in a statement provided to Fox News Digital.
"Food Lion is deeply saddened by the tragedy that occurred at our store located at 4709 Lawndale Drive, Greensboro," the company wrote in the statement. "We express our deepest condolences to the officer’s family and friends."
An officer was shot and killed at the Food Lion on Lawndale Drive in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Google Maps)
Food Lion noted it is cooperating with authorities and the store will remain closed.
"We are providing resources to support our associates during this difficult time," the statement read.
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper reacted to the tragic shooting. (AP Photo/Hannah Schoenbaum)
In a statement released on social media, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper noted he is in contact with local and state law enforcement regarding the shooting.
"We have sent significant state law enforcement personnel who are helping with the response," according to Cooper.
Horan served with the Greensboro Police Department since 2018, according to officials.
Alexandra Koch is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital. Prior to joining Fox News, Alexandra covered breaking news, crime, religion, and the military in the southeast.
