{"id":55381,"date":"2014-09-04T16:15:46","date_gmt":"2014-09-04T23:15:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/theavtimes.com\/?p=55381"},"modified":"2019-01-24T12:37:58","modified_gmt":"2019-01-24T20:37:58","slug":"loved-ones-remember-man-slain-with-bow-and-arrow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theavtimes.com\/2014\/09\/04\/loved-ones-remember-man-slain-with-bow-and-arrow\/","title":{"rendered":"Loved ones remember man slain with bow and arrow"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Charles<\/a>
Charles Briggs (Contributed photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

LANCASTER \u2013 Charles Emmanuel Briggs<\/strong> was a loving son and brother who protected the women in his family.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe had three sisters, so he was very loving and attentive to us at home,\u201d said mom Charlotte Briggs.<\/p>\n

\u201cI raised him to take care of his sisters, and any injustice that he saw, he would speak up\u2026 he stood for the right,\u201d said dad\u00a0Charlie Briggs.<\/p>\n

To those outside the home, Charles was a compassionate Samaritan always willing\u00a0to lend a helping hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cMost people that knew Charles can probably recall an incident, or several, where he was helping them,\u201d said Pastor Michael Mancha of Eagle Vision Community Church in Palmdale. \u201cHe was quick to volunteer, was a great worker, a great helper and just had a great spirit about himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Garrett<\/a>
Garrett Adams allegedly shot Charles with a hunting bow and arrow in the upper torso, killing him. (TONY CHEVAL)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

That great spirit was cut short in the early morning hours of Saturday, Aug. 23, after Charles extended a helping hand for the last time.<\/p>\n

The 27-year-old was trying to quell a domestic dispute when he was shot and killed with a bow and arrow, according to Sheriff\u2019s homicide detectives.<\/p>\n

Garrett Adams<\/strong> has been charged with murder, and the complaint includes an allegation that Garrett used a compound bow to kill Charles.<\/p>\n

Sheriff\u2019s detectives said Garrett and his girlfriend were arguing at a Lancaster home when Charles arrived with Garrett\u2019s brother and tried to intervene. The dispute continued outside onto the sidewalk, and then Garrett armed himself with a hunting bow and arrow and shot Charles in the upper torso, according to detectives. (Read more here<\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n

Nearly 24 hours passed before Charlotte Briggs was told by the County coroner that her only son had been killed.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust being at home and hearing about it the way that I did\u2026 not being able to be at the hospital with him, just to be there as a mother,\u201d she said. \u201cWe\u2019ve had a real hard time with this because it was such a tragedy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Charlotte Briggs would not discuss what homicide detectives shared with the Briggs family for fear that it could jeopardize the case. She did say that Garrett and his brother were not close friends with Charles, as some media reports have claimed. The Adams brothers were not part of the tight-knit circle of friends that Charles had maintained since childhood, his mother said.<\/p>\n

\u201cFriends wouldn\u2019t let something like that happen and not make a phone call,\u201d Charlotte Briggs said. \u201cContrary to everything that\u2019s been said, my son had a circle of friends that is totally different to what has been represented\u2026 true friends, brothers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Grieving<\/a>
Grieving parents joined loved ones earlier this week to share memories of Charles Briggs. (TONY CHEVAL)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One of those true friends is Devion, son of Lancaster City Council Member Sandra Johnson. Johnson, who saw herself as an \u201cextended mother\u201d to Charles, is helping to console the grieving family.<\/p>\n

\u201cCharles in our community was not known as a troublemaker, he was not known as a fighter, he was not known as a gang member\u2026\u201dJohnson said. \u201cHe was known as a great friend, a great son, a great brother, a great citizen to our community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Charles had a passion for automobiles and mechanics, he liked to barbecue, and he was very health conscious. Charles was dubbed \u201cChuckles\u201d by some of his friends because of his ready smile and infectious laugher. He was excited about a new job in Littlerock, which he was scheduled to start Monday, Aug. 25.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany of us are devastated\u2026 by how such a senseless tragedy could happen the way that it did and under the circumstances that it happened,\u201d Pastor Mancha said.<\/p>\n

Charles\u2019 family and loved ones are determined to build something hopeful from this tragedy. They will be keeping his memory alive with the \u201cChuckles Foundation.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Chuckles Foundation will focus on the vocational development of domestic violence families and young boys without fathers or big brothers within the home,\u201d stated sister Charlynnae Briggs. \u201cThe activities will range from but are not limited to car repair, sports [and] cooking.\u201d<\/p>\n

The\u00a0family is also praying for justice for Charles Briggs.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe in the Antelope Valley will make sure that he is respected for what he was, which is a great man,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cWe as a community will honor him as such.\u201d<\/p>\n

Garrett Adams has remained in custody on $1 million bail since his arrest on Aug. 23. He is scheduled to be arraigned on the murder charge on Tuesday, Sept. 9. \u00a0If convicted as charged, Garrett faces 26 years to life in state prison.<\/p>\n

UPDATED 9\/9\/14<\/span>: The arraignment for Garrett Adams was postponed until Oct. 14, 2014. We will continue to follow this story.<\/strong><\/p>\n

UPDATED 10\/21\/14<\/span>: The arraignment scheduled for Oct. 14 was postponed until Nov. 18, 2014. We will continue to follow this story.<\/strong><\/p>\n

–<\/p>\n

A message for Charles Briggs<\/strong><\/h3>\n

A small group of family and loved ones gathered at Eagle Vision Community Church in Palmdale this past weekend to share fond memories of Charles Briggs. The group ended the gathering with individual messages to Charles. View the video below:<\/em><\/p>\n