Columbus homicide suspect indicted in shootout with Fairborn officers

Fairborn police detectives received an arrest warrant for Bryant on Jan. 24 from the Columbus Police Department after a murder charge was filed against him in Franklin County Municipal Court.

Undercover detectives responded that afternoon to Bryant’s apartment in the 400 block of West Funderburg Road. Five undercover detectives in two unmarked vehicles set up surveillance near a parking lot while multiple marked patrol vehicles with uniformed officers also responded to the general area, according to an affidavit filed in Fairborn Municipal Court.

Undercover detectives radioed at 4:48 p.m. that Bryant left his apartment and went to his vehicle before going back inside, according to court documents. Bryant then returned to his vehicle with an unknown object. As he opened the driver’s door, a surveillance vehicle with three undercover detectives pulled up to block Bryant’s vehicle.

“Before officers could even exit the surveillance vehicle, Breyon produced a handgun and opened fire,” the affidavit read. “It was later determined that Breyon fired two rounds, both of which struck the driver’s side of the surveillance vehicle.”

Officers got out of their vehicle as Bryant fled on foot. A police sergeant followed Bryant and fired six rounds, according to court records. No was was hit by gunfire and Bryant dropped his gun and surrendered, police said.

“Breyon made spontaneous utterances to officers at the scene that he did not know that the occupants of the vehicle that pulled up to him were police officers and that he fired on the vehicle because he has had recent death threats and thought he was being ambushed,” the affidavit read.

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation responded and recovered eight spent shell casings and a black Glock, according to court documents.

Fairborn police have not identified the sergeant who fired his gun, citing Marsy’s Law. The department described the sergeant as a more than 10-year veteran. He is on paid administrative leave pending the investigation.

Bryant is charged with murder in Franklin County for the March 5, 2013, death of 22-year-old Daviena Clay in Columbus. The charge was filed Jan. 24 after a Fairborn detective alerted Columbus police that an officer interviewing Bryant’s wife in an unrelated crime said that “Breyon Bryant confessed to her that he killed Ms. Clay by strangling her,” according to an affidavit. He reportedly made his confession after Columbus police in December visited his Fairborn residence to collect his DNA, the document stated.