NEW ALBANY, Ind. (WDRB) -- On an emotional day in court Monday, the girlfriend of the teenager killed at Harvest Homecoming in 2024 described his final moments at the festival that night.
With Bryce Gerlach's parents sitting in the front row, Precious Flahn said her boyfriend died on their anniversary. That tragic night, which she now calls the "most traumatic moment" of her life, marked one year of dating for the couple.
Flahn said they went to the festival earlier in the day to shop but came back at night with one goal in mind: hitting the rides with friends.
"It was our last $22, but we really wanted to get on those rides," she told the jury.
Isaiah Page is on trial for Gerlach's death, charged with murder, attempted murder, aggravated battery, criminal recklessness and two other offenses related to use of a firearm and gang activity. charged with murder, attempted murder, aggravated battery, criminal recklessness and two other offenses related to use of a firearm and gang activity.
Isaiah Page is accused of being the alleged shooter that killed 18-year-old Bryce Gerlach at the festival event in 2024.
Initially, Flahn wanted to get on the Ferris wheel, but the line was too long, so they settled on the Graviton. Gerlach was shot while waiting in that line.
She said she recalls hearing a loud sound but assumed a balloon popped. They didn’t realize what was happening until they saw people running.
In court Monday, the jury watched body camera video from a New Albany Police officer who responded to the scene. People can be heard screaming, sobbing and begging for help. Police on camera give Gerlach CPR in an attempt to save him from a gunshot to the chest. Flahn said she was by his side until officers pulled her away for questioning.
"I was hoping and praying it wasn’t my fault this happened," she told the jury Monday. "... I was spiraling — thinking of everything possible. I brought us here."
She says she felt frantic, worried about her boyfriend and didn’t know he'd passed away until much later in the night.
Flahn said they had plans to go to college near each other. Gerlach wanted to play football and she’d pursue track and field so they could be an "athletic duo," she said.
Background
During opening statements, Floyd County Prosecutor Chris Lane said Page intended to "kill another member of a group but missed," hitting Gerlach. Lane also said Page, dressed in all black with a backpack, was at an elevated level, at the Scribner House at State and Main streets, when he fired six shots onto the groups of people at the ride area.
A gun was never recovered from the scene.
The shooting happened in the ride area in the middle of the packed annual Harvest Homecoming fall festival the evening of Oct. 12, 2024. Gerlach, a Corydon Central High School senior, was killed, and two other people were injured. Police have said all three were innocent bystanders who weren't involved in an alleged argument that broke out between two groups of people, which police believe led to the shooting.
Brendan Hagan, a 22-year-old father, was shot when walking to the restroom. Michele Nashi, a single mother, was shot while waiting for her son and his friend to get off a carnival ride. Both survived the shooting.
Twelve other people have already been sentenced in connection to the shooting.
Shermichael Smith was sentenced in November to nine years in prison for his role in the shooting. Smith pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting in two of the shootings. The charge came with a five-year gun enhancement. A murder charge was dropped by Indiana prosecutors against Smith in July 2025. Smith provided the vehicle that took others from Louisville to where the shooting happened, and his defense attorney argued that he got caught up in the chaos of the shooting.
Smith's cousin, Joshua Smith, of Louisville, was sentenced in March to more than seven years in prison after agreeing to a plea deal in February. Joshua Smith originally faced 11 charges in connection to the shooting, including murder. However, he pleaded guilty to a single charge of conspiracy to armed robbery. As part of his plea deal, Joshua Smith is required to testify in ongoing cases connected to the shooting. He will also have about two years of probation following his release.
Darius Tuff, of Louisville, was sentenced in April to 37 years in prison, made up of 16 years each for two aggravated battery charges, and an additional five years for use of a firearm in the crimes. Tuff was not accused of killing Gerlach. Lane recommended the 37-year sentence as part of Tuff's plea agreement after he pleaded guilty in February.
Officials said Joshua Smith, Tuff, and Shermichael Smith were all roommates.
Damarius Gardiner Person, 18, of Louisville, was sentenced to six years in prison in May after pleading guilty to multiple charges in connection with the shooting, including assisting a criminal and obstruction of justice. He was initially charged with murder, aggravated battery, assisting a criminal and obstruction of justice.
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