AJ

Question 1

How old are you, AJ?

Answer 1

17

Question 2

Do you attend school?

Answer 2

Yes, I am a senior at buckeye high school

Question 3

AJ, describe yourself for the court?

Answer 3

I am a medieval enthusiast, so much so that I even founded a high school club for medieval activities. I also work every year at the Buckeye Medieval Faire which allows me to dress up in medieval costumes and speak like a medieval person.

Question 4

What is the Buckeye Medieval Faire?

Answer 4

It’s only the most popular event in Buckeye. It’s a fair celebrating medieval times and culture. The main event in the annual costume contest.

Question 5

Besides working at the Faire, what, if any, Faire events did you participate in?

Answer 5

The costume contest of course. I mean, I spent an entire year planning my costume to try and win best in show.

Question 6

What were you dressed in costume as?

Answer 6

An archer

Question 7

And what did your archer costume consist of?

Answer 7

A helmet, a chain all coif covering my neck and head, an archers tunic, a breast plate, leather greaves to cover my shins and special foot wear. Oh, and bow and arrows too!!!!

Question 8

Were the bow and arrows real?

Answer 8

Of course not. It was a toy bow and the arrows had foam and multicolored tips.

Question 9

Specifically, what colors were the arrow tips?

Answer 9

Primarily pink, purple, and sky blue

Question 10

AJ, I am now handing you what has been marked as exhibit B. Do you recognize this document?

Answer 10

Yes

Question 11

Can you please identify for the court what exhibit B is?

Answer 11

It’s a replica of the bow and arrows that I used as part of my archer costume.

Question 12

Does the bow and arrows shown in exhibit B differ in any way from the bow and arrows which you had in your possession?

Answer 12

No

Question 13

Aj, do you recall the events of July 25, 2015?

Answer 13

Yes, unfortunately that was the day I got shot multiple times by Officer Riley Green?

Question 14

Can you describe the events of July 25, 2015 leading up to your being shot?

Answer 14

I had signed up to participate in the costume contest which was taking place later that evening. Because it took me 20 minutes to get the costume on, I decided to dress up at home and drive to the Faire in full costume

Question 15

What, if any, reactions did you receive from others while driving to the fair dressed like a medieval archer?

Answer 15

Oh, I definitely for a few stares. I also got a lot of smiles and people where giving me a thumbs up too. It was funny.

Question 16

What occurred when you initially arrived at the fair?

Answer 16

Actually, I had made plans to go to the Faire with my friend, Sam jones, so I parked on Sam’s street and began looking for his house.

Question 17

And were you doing this while dressed in full archer costume?

Answer 17

Oh yes. I also began shouting in character and pretending people were about to invade my castle. I even pulled out an arrow and shot a guy in the chest as a joke.

Question 18

How did the gentleman who you shot with an arrow react?

Answer 18

He thought it as hilarious. He even picked up the arrow and gave it back to me.

Question 19

(He thought it was hilarious! He even picked up the arrow and gave it back to me.)
Then what happened?

Answer 19

To my horror, I realized my left leather greave was falling off. Worse yet, when I tried to tighten the the lace holding it, the lace broke.

Question 20

Why was your lace breaking so significant?

Answer 20

Because the costume contest was happening in an hour. One year of planning was going to be ruined and all because of a broken lace. I was horrified.

Question 21

(Because the costume contest was happening in an hour! One year of planning was going to be ruined and all because of a broken lace. I was horrified.)
What happened next?

Answer 21

When I found Sam, he told me that there was a convenience store on the way to the Faire that might sell laces. So, we headed there.

Question 22

What happened when you arrived at the store?

Answer 22

I was still in costume so I began to talk in character about plundering the store.

Question 23

Based upon your personal observations, did any costumers appear to feel threatened by your role playing?

Answer 23

Not that I could tell. Most of them were laughing at m especially when they saw my toy arrows. Well, except for one particular costumer.

Question 24

(Not that I could tell. Most of them were laughing at me especially when they saw my toy arrows. Well for one particular costumer.)
Can you please elaborate?

Answer 24

Well, when I found the laces I was looking for I decided to shoot them with my toy bow and arrow and, unfortunately, I hit another patron.

Question 25

Based upon what you observed, how did this patron react to being hit by the toy arrow?

Answer 25

Not well. The arrow hit her in the back of the head so she turned around and began cursing me out. When she turned, her shopping basket knocked serval jars of red sauce on the floor.

Question 26

(Not well. The arrow hit her in the back of the head so she turned around and began cursing me out. When she turned, her shopping basket knocked several jaws of red sauce onto the floor.) Then what happened?

Answer 26

I decided to leave the store, with the new laces of course. Before I left, i dropped two dollars which was more than enough to pay for the laces in full.

Question 27

After you left the store, what did you do?

Answer 27

Sam and I got into a verbal altercation in the parking lot. Nothing physical though.

Question 28

What was the reason for the verbal altercation?

Answer 28

Sam was upset that I was acting in character in the store. He thought i was taking the role playing thing a bit too far.

Question 29

How did you respond to Sams point of view?

Answer 29

I told sam he was overreacting to make my point, I drew my bow and arrow to show I'm how it worked and how easy it is to miss your target. These are toy bow and arrows you know.

Question 30

(I told Sam he was overreacting. To make my point, I drew my bow and arrow to show him how easy it was do miss your target. These are toy bow and arrows you know.) What happened next?

Answer 30

As I drew my bow and arrow to show Sam how it worked, I heard someone shouting. I couldn't tell where the voice was coming from so I turned to look and see who it was.

Question 31

After you turned, could you determine who was shouting?

Answer 31

Unfortunately, no. When I turned around, my helmet shifted and blocked my vision.

Question 32

AJ, where was Sam standing when you heard someone shouting?

Answer 32

Right next to me.

Question 33

Based solely on what you observed, did Sam appear to react to the person who was shouting.

Answer 33

No- I didn't see Sam react in any way at all.

Question 34

(No-I didn't seem Sam react in any way at all.) | What happened next?

Answer 34

Within a split second of turning around I heard a loud bang and felt a horrible pain in my shoulder. I don't really remember much from that point on because I passed out from the pain shortly thereafter. When I came to, I learned that I had been shot twice.

Question 35

AJ, prior to being shot, did you hear any commands or warnings to put the bow and arrow down?

Answer 35

No

Question 36

Did you see any flashing lights indicating that a law enforcement officer was present?

Answer 36

No

Question 37

Did you hear any sirens indicating that a law enforcement officer was present?

Answer 37

No. For that matter, I don't even remember seeing a police car there.

Question 38

When you drew the bow and arrow at Sam, were any other people in the parking lot?

Answer 38

Yes

Question 39

Did Sam or any other person present in the parking lot flee the scene or attempt to take cover when you drew the bow and arrow at Sam?

Answer 39

No

Question 40

Please state your name for the record

Answer 40

AJ Bryant