Police say the employee had stopped the man from entering the Strongsville store with a gun.
STRONGSVILLE, Ohio — A Texas man has been charged with murder after police said he fatally shot a Costco employee who confronted him Saturday outside a store near Cleveland over a gun he was carrying.
Christian M. Bryant, 22, of Fort Worth, was arrested after the shooting at the Costco on Royalton Road in Strongsville. The victim was identified as Randolph E. Corrigan, 61, of Cleveland, a Costco employee. The case moved into court Monday, when a judge set Bryant’s bond at $5 million and police said the matter would be presented to a Cuyahoga County grand jury.
Officers were called to the store at about 5:43 p.m. Saturday after reports of gunfire near the entrance. Police said they found Corrigan with multiple gunshot wounds. Bystanders had already started first aid, including one person who was pressing on Corrigan’s chest wounds while wearing work gloves. Officers then applied chest seals and a tourniquet before paramedics took over. Corrigan was transported to MetroHealth Medical Center, where he died. Police described the shooting at first as an incident between two people and later identified Bryant as the suspect. During his Monday court appearance, Bryant said, “This man approached me with a knife,” before he was stopped from saying more.
Court records and police reports gave a fuller account of the confrontation. Witnesses told investigators Bryant approached the store with a drum magazine visible in one of his pockets. Corrigan confronted him and tried to stop him from entering the store with a firearm, investigators said. Police said Bryant pulled out a black semiautomatic handgun during the encounter. Corrigan then produced a pocketknife, according to investigators. Authorities said Bryant fired at least one shot, Corrigan fell, and Bryant then fired several more shots after a brief pause. Investigators recovered 13 spent .40-caliber shell casings at the scene. Officers also recovered a Springfield XD-40 handgun with a drum magazine containing 37 rounds and one round in the chamber.
Police said Bryant stayed at the scene and was taken into custody without incident. While being detained, he repeatedly told officers that Corrigan had approached him with a knife and that he acted in self-defense, according to court records. Investigators have not said whether Bryant had a permit or what brought him to the Strongsville store that evening. A detective told the court Bryant was a truck driver traveling through Ohio. The detective also said Bryant had a prior criminal record but was not on probation or parole. Police have said the investigation remains open, and they have asked witnesses who have not spoken with detectives to contact the Strongsville Police Department.
The shooting drew a heavy police response to the busy store, which sits in a commercial area along Royalton Road. Local news crews reported police tape around part of the property and evidence markers near the entrance after the shooting. The store is in Strongsville, a suburb southwest of Cleveland in Cuyahoga County. Police reports said Corrigan was conscious at first and able to answer questions, but his condition worsened before he was taken to the hospital. The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office identified him as Randy Corrigan, 61. Reports said he had seven or eight wounds, including injuries to his chest, abdomen and arm.
Family members described Corrigan as a man who loved his job, his coworkers and his family. A fundraiser set up in his name said he was a primary caregiver for his elderly grandmother and helped make daily life brighter for people around him. The fundraiser described him as funny, generous and selfless, and said money raised would help with funeral costs and care needs for his grandmother. His family said he enjoyed Jeeps, Irish culture and tattoos. At Bryant’s arraignment, a family representative said relatives wanted “justice to be served.” Costco had not issued a detailed public statement about the shooting as of the latest reports.
Bryant was arraigned Monday in Berea Municipal Court on a murder charge under Ohio law. Judge Sean Kilbane set bond at $5 million after prosecutors and police raised concerns that Bryant, who lives in Texas and was traveling for work, could flee before the case is resolved. Police said the case will be sent to a grand jury, where additional charges could be considered. Bryant remained in custody after the hearing. His next court steps will depend on the grand jury review and any indictment returned in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.
The case remains under investigation, with police still reviewing witness accounts, physical evidence and the events that led to the shooting. The next major step is the grand jury presentation, which police said will come later. Investigators have not announced a date for that presentation.
Author note: Last updated April 28, 2026.