Costco employee killed after confrontation in Ohio
Costco employee killed after confrontation in Ohio
Taylor Ardrey, USA TODAY Wed, April 29, 2026 at 6:46 PM UTC
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A longtime Costco employee was fatally shot outside an Ohio warehouse store Saturday, April 25, after confronting a man police say was attempting to enter the store while armed.
The shooting happened just before 6 p.m. at a Costco in Strongsville, about 20 miles southwest of Cleveland. Officers responding to reports of gunfire found a 61‑year‑old man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, according to a Facebook post from the Strongsville Police Department.
The victim, later identified by officials as Randolph E. Corrigan, was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Police arrested the 22-year-old suspect.Suspect arrested, charged
Strongsville police announced Monday, April 27 that 22‑year‑old Christian M. Bryant of Fort Worth, Texas, was arrested and charged with murder, an unclassified felony under Ohio law. Investigators said the case will be presented to a grand jury and that additional charges may be filed.
According to court documents cited by Cleveland television station WJW, witnesses told investigators that Bryant was seen walking toward the Costco entrance with what appeared to be a drum magazine protruding from his pocket. An employee denied him entry because of the visible weapon, the outlet reported.
Prosecutors say the confrontation escalated moments later, when Bryant allegedly opened fire on the employee.
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During his arraignment, Bryant said he acted in self‑defense after the victim approached him with a knife, according to WJW. Detective Zaki Hazou described Bryant as a truck driver passing through Ohio and asked the court to set bond at $5 million.
USA TODAY reached out to Costco for comment Wednesday, April 29.
Corrigan 'loved' working at Costco, fundraiser says
Friends and family remembered Corrigan as an “amazing, funny, and generous man” in a GoFundMe fundraiser launched to help cover funeral expenses. As of Wednesday, April 29, the fundraiser had raised nearly $55,000.
“He loved going to work at Costco, always talking about his coworkers,” the fundraiser said. “He would joke, laugh and pass around sweet treats to everyone around him, making every day brighter for those he met.”
During court proceedings Monday, an advocate said Corrigan’s family is calling for “justice to be served,” according to WJW.
Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Costco shooting leaves Ohio employee dead
Source: “AOL Breaking”
