Horry County Sheriff's Office, South Carolina
End of Watch: Saturday, December 29, 2001
Age: 47
Tour of Duty: 13 years
Badge Number: D-12
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: December 29, 2001
Weapon Used: Handgun; .45 caliber
Suspect Info: Sentenced to life
Lieutenant Randy Gerald was shot and killed when he stopped for what he believed was a traffic accident in a parking lot along US Route 701 at approximately 1830 hours.
He was returning home after his shift at the J. Reuben Long Detention Center, still wearing his uniform, in his personal car when he observed a man and woman arguing. As he attempted to find out what was wrong, the male opened fire, fatally wounding him. The shooter then attempted to kill the woman, who was the man's girlfriend, as the two fled in separate cars.
The shooter was apprehended approximately 24 hours later after a massive manhunt. He was convicted of murdering Lieutenant Gerald and sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.
Lieutenant Gerald had been a member of the Horry County Sheriff's Department for 13 years. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.