Harnett Dispatch

Parents of Shooting Victim want answers

According to Wral 5 Raleigh

The family members of a man shot last fall is still trying to get answer about the death of their son that took place in an Angier home.

Christian Lamar Griggs, 23, was shot by Rev. Pat Chisenhall on Oct. 12 at Chisenhall’s home at 11378 N.C. Highway 210 North. No charges have been filed in the case, and neither the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office nor the Harnett County District Attorney’s Office responded to repeated inquiries from WRAL News about the status of the investigation.

Tony and Dolly Griggs said they kept silent about the case for more than three months to allow Harnett County authorities to do their job. They still haven’t received a full explanation of what happened that day, they said, and felt it was time to share their story in an exclusive interview with WRAL News.

Christian Griggs and his wife, Katie, were separated, and he went over to her parents’ house that Saturday morning to pick up his daughter for the weekend, his parents said.

“All he was trying to do was be a great dad. That’s all he was trying to do,” Tony Griggs said.

“Every other weekend he tried to get her he ran into resistance,” Dolly Griggs said.

There was a commotion at the house. Someone called 911. Christian Griggs called his father.

Tony Griggs said that he arrived at Chisenhall’s house to find his son face-down on the front porch.

“I knew he was hurt bad. I knew he was hurt bad,” he said.

Christian Griggs had been shot six times, including several shots in the back, his father said.

“To be shot down by a man he lived with, he prayed with, a man that baptized him…,” Tony Griggs said, his voice choked with emotion.

Three weeks before the shooting, Chisenhall baptized Christian Griggs at Abundant Life Worship Center in Angier. Chisenhall served as pastor of the church since he founded it 25 years ago.

Chisenhall said Friday that he doesn’t remember much from that day – he was involuntarily committed to a psychiatric hospital after the shooting and continues to receive treatment. He still hasn’t returned to his pastoral duties.

He said he does recall that Christian Griggs tried to break into his home and that he saw a rage in his son-in-law had never seen before. He said his daughter was terrified of her estranged husband, and he picked up a rifle and just started firing.

That explanation doesn’t satisfy the Griggses.

“How can you defend yourself shooting a man four times in the back? How are you defending property or your home?” Tony Griggs asked. “Did Christian snap? No, Pat Chisenhall snapped. He was the one that was armed that day, not Christian. Christian was there to get his daughter.”

The couple said they are frustrated by the lack of answers from investigators.

“At this point, it’s justice delayed and not much different, from my perspective, in the way I grieve and the way my heart feels, as justice denied,” Tony Griggs said.