A tragic incident unfolded at a Costco in Ohio when an employee was fatally shot after denying entry to a customer carrying a weapon with a drum magazine attachment.

Authorities in Strongsville, Ohio, were alerted to gunfire outside the Royalton Road Costco at approximately 5:45 p.m. on April 25. Upon arrival, they discovered 61-year-old Randolph E. Corrigan suffering from several gunshot wounds. Officers administered first aid before Corrigan was taken to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.

Eyewitnesses reported that the suspect, identified as 22-year-old Christian M. Bryant from Fort Worth, Texas, approached the store entrance with what appeared to be a drum magazine protruding from his pocket, according to police accounts.

Police state that Corrigan confronted Bryant, informing him that he could not enter the premises with the weapon.

The suspect allegedly attempted to gain entry with the weapon when Corrigan intervened to stop him.

Court documents acquired by WJW reveal that Bryant fired a single shot initially, followed by multiple rounds in rapid succession, without any pause between shots.

A police report said Corrigan was shot multiple times, including in the chest, abdomen and right arm. He was initially conscious and able to answer questions, but his condition quickly declined.

Several bystanders stopped to help Corrigan at the scene, with one person applying pressure to his wounds until first responders arrived, according to the report.

Randolph Corrigan, 61, was shot and killed outside a Costco in Strongsville, Ohio, on April 25, 2026. (Facebook/Randy Corrigan)

Bryant told police after his arrest that “a white man approached me with a knife for no reason” and that “I defended myself.” During a court hearing Monday, he reiterated the claim, saying, “This man approached me with a knife.”

Police said Corrigan had a pocket knife at the time of the encounter.

Bryant is charged with murder and appeared in Berea Municipal Court on Monday, where Judge Sean Kilbane set his bond at $5 million at the request of Strongsville police Detective Zaki Hazou.

A GoFundMe created after Corrigan’s death claimed he ‘loved going to work at Costco.’ (iStock)

Hazou said Bryant is a truck driver who was passing through Ohio and has a prior criminal record, though he is not currently on probation or parole.

The case is expected to be presented to a Cuyahoga County grand jury, and additional charges may be considered, according to police.

Following Corrigan’s death, a GoFundMe page was launched to help his family cover funeral expenses. As of Tuesday evening, the fundraiser had raised more than $40,000 of its $55,000 goal.

“He was selfless and caring…the sole caregiver for my 86-year-old grandmother,” the page’s description read. “Aside from taking care of her, he LOVED going to work at Costco, always talking about his coworkers. He would joke, laugh, and pass around sweet treats to everyone around him, making every day brighter for those he met.”

A victim advocate speaking on behalf of Corrigan’s family said they want “justice to be served” and urged anyone who witnessed the shooting to come forward.

Representatives for Costco and the Strongsville Police Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.