Christian Bryant’s attorneys say he acted in self-defense, while prosecutors say Randolph Corrigan was protecting customers.
CLEVELAND, Ohio — A murder case over a deadly shooting outside a Strongsville Costco now centers on two weapons, a visible gun carried toward the store and a knife found near the employee who was killed.
Christian M. Bryant, 22, of Fort Worth, Texas, pleaded not guilty Monday to two counts of murder and two counts of felonious assault in the death of Randolph E. Corrigan, 61, of Cleveland. Prosecutors say Bryant shot Corrigan outside the Costco Wholesale on Royalton Road after Corrigan tried to stop him from nearing the entrance with a firearm. Bryant’s defense team says he acted to protect himself after Corrigan approached with a knife.
The public record so far gives both sides facts they are expected to press in court. Prosecutors have pointed to the 50-round drum magazine they say was hanging from Bryant’s shorts pocket as he walked toward the front entrance. They say Corrigan saw him, followed him and tried to prevent him from getting closer to customers and employees. Defense attorneys have pointed to the knife recovered near Corrigan and Bryant’s repeated statements that Corrigan had approached him with it. The legal fight will turn on how a jury views the threat each man posed.
Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley gave the state’s account when he announced the indictment. Bryant parked a commercial truck outside the store around 5:40 p.m. April 25, got out and headed toward the entrance, prosecutors said. Corrigan was on break and standing near his vehicle when he noticed Bryant. Corrigan followed Bryant toward the doors and attempted to stop him. O’Malley said Bryant then shot Corrigan multiple times, causing him to fall, and came closer before shooting him again.
“Randolph Corrigan died trying to protect customers at the Strongsville Costco from an armed gunman,” O’Malley said. “He was truly a hero.” That statement reflects the state’s theory that Corrigan’s conduct was protective, not aggressive. It also signals that prosecutors are likely to highlight the location of the encounter, the visible magazine, the direction Bryant was walking and the claim that more shots were fired after Corrigan fell. Those details may be used to challenge any claim that all of the gunfire was defensive.
Bryant’s attorneys have offered a different frame. In a statement after his arraignment, the defense team said the Costco incident was “an unfortunate misunderstanding” and said Bryant acted in self-defense after Corrigan approached him with a knife. The statement said Bryant’s behavior before and after the shooting was not the behavior of someone who meant to harm anyone. During Bryant’s first court appearance in Berea Municipal Court, he said, “This man approached me with a knife.” The judge told him not to make further statements before talking with an attorney.
Strongsville police said officers were called to the store at about 5:43 p.m. and found Corrigan with multiple gunshot wounds. A police report said several good Samaritans were trying to help him when officers arrived, including one person applying pressure to his chest. Officers provided first aid before paramedics took Corrigan to MetroHealth Medical Center. He later died. Police said a firearm was found on the ground near Bryant and secured. A knife was found near Corrigan, according to prosecutors and police reports.
Some key facts remain undisclosed. Authorities have not publicly released the full 911 recordings, store surveillance video, body camera footage or complete witness statements. They have not said what words were exchanged before the gunfire, how far Bryant was from the entrance, how close Corrigan was when Bryant fired, or whether Corrigan displayed the knife before or after Bryant drew the gun. The defense and prosecution may also dispute whether Bryant had a lawful right to carry the firearm and whether that matters to the murder charges.
The indictment returned May 11 gives prosecutors four felony counts. The two murder counts reflect separate ways Ohio law can define murder, while the two felonious assault counts address the alleged act of causing or attempting to cause serious harm with a deadly weapon. Bryant entered his not guilty plea at his May 18 arraignment in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court. The judge continued his $5 million bond and scheduled a pretrial hearing for May 20. No trial date has been announced.
The case also puts a workplace confrontation under close review. Corrigan was an employee at the Costco, but authorities have not said he was working a door post or security role when he first saw Bryant. Prosecutors said he was on break near his vehicle. That detail may matter because it places Corrigan outside the store and away from a formal checkout or entrance position. Still, prosecutors say he acted after seeing an armed man move toward the entrance, where customers and employees could have been present.
After the shooting, the area outside the store became a marked crime scene. Local news crews reported police vehicles, tape and evidence markers near the building. Shoppers later described the violence as hard to understand in a familiar retail setting. Corrigan’s family appeared at Bryant’s first hearing and asked through a victim advocate for witnesses to help police. Family supporters have said Corrigan was a caregiver for an elderly relative, adding another layer of loss beyond the criminal case.
The next stage will likely focus on evidence exchange. Prosecutors must turn over reports and recordings that support the charges, while defense attorneys may seek video, witness names, forensic reports and records tied to the firearm and knife. Future motions could address what statements Bryant made to police, what jurors may hear about Corrigan’s actions and whether any self-defense instructions apply at trial. For now, the court has only the indictment, the plea and the early public accounts.
Christian Bryant remains held on $5 million bond as the case continues in Cleveland. The central question for the next hearings is whether the evidence supports the state’s account of a killing outside Costco or the defense claim that the shooting followed a threat from a knife.
Author note: Last updated Wednesday, May 20, 2026.