Kathryn “Kathy” O’Briant Binkley, a 73-year-old White woman from Greensboro, North Carolina, was shot and killed on the evening of August 23, 2026, during a violent confrontation in the Creswell Court neighborhood. At approximately 6:45 p.m., Greensboro police officers, firefighters, Guilford County EMS personnel and Guilford County Sheriff’s Office deputies were sent to the gated residential community after a shooting was reported.
When first responders arrived, they found Binkley and another victim suffering from gunshot wounds. Binkley was pronounced dead at the scene.
The second victim was Margaret “Maggie” Collins, who was critically wounded and transported to a local hospital. Collins later died from her injuries, turning the incident into a double homicide. Police said Binkley, Collins and the man identified as the suspected shooter were neighbors on Creswell Court. Their deaths were recorded as Greensboro’s 16th and 17th homicides of 2026.
Witnesses identified the suspected gunman as Michael Wade Hargett. Investigators said that after the shootings, Hargett went into a nearby residence and barricaded himself inside. Greensboro’s Special Response Team and Hostage Negotiation Team were called to the neighborhood as officers surrounded the residence and attempted to bring the situation under control. Residents described hearing a series of gunshots, including several shots followed by a woman screaming and additional gunfire. Police restricted movement in the neighborhood while the standoff continued, and officers remained in the area through much of the night.
Authorities said Hargett did not surrender to negotiators. When officers eventually entered the residence, they found him suffering from what police described as a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was taken into custody and transported by ambulance to a hospital for treatment. Police announced that they were not searching for any additional suspects in connection with the killings.
Binkley’s brother, Mike O’Briant, later said that Binkley and Collins had been trying to help another neighbor who was in what he described as an abusive relationship. According to O’Briant, the two were attempting to encourage the woman to get away from the situation when the shooting occurred. Police did not publicly confirm that account as the motive for the killings and said investigators were still determining exactly what happened before the gunfire. Loved ones described Binkley and Collins as caring and generous people who frequently helped others.
The investigation subsequently produced additional allegations concerning another woman who survived the encounter. Arrest warrants reported by local media accused Hargett of pointing a firearm at that woman’s head after Binkley and Collins had been shot and threatening that she would be the next person to die. Police said Hargett knew the woman. Those allegations led to charges in addition to the homicide counts.
On September 5, Hargett was served with arrest warrants charging him with two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Binkley and Collins. He was also charged with shooting into an occupied dwelling, assault by pointing a gun and communicating threats. The warrants were served while he was receiving medical treatment for the gunshot wound he sustained after the killings. A review of court records reported by WFMY found that Hargett had a criminal history dating to 1988 in Mecklenburg County, although the station found no previous felony convictions.
Hargett made his first court appearance on the new charges by video from his hospital bed on September 8. A judge appointed an attorney to represent him, and he was held without bond. His next court appearance was scheduled for October 21, 2026. As of late September, the case had not proceeded to trial and there had been no conviction; the murder and related charges remained accusations to be resolved through the court system.
Binkley was born in Greensboro on July 19, 1953, and graduated from Western Guilford High School and Coker College. She initially worked as an elementary school teacher before returning to Greensboro and becoming deeply involved in golf, both professionally and as a volunteer. An accomplished competitive golfer, she won numerous club, city and senior championships and held leadership positions in golf organizations. Her family remembered her for her infectious laugh, generosity, competitiveness and devotion to those close to her. Her death on Creswell Court brought an abrupt end to a life that friends and relatives described as energetic, compassionate and centered on family, friendship and helping others.
