A waiter is being hailed a hero after tackling a disgraced Ohio lawyer who attempted to shoot his ex-wife at a Toledo restaurant on April 11, 2025. Matthew Exton, 43, has been found guilty of attempted murder and two counts of felonious assault for the incident that occurred at the Italian restaurant Sabira.
Footage from the incident shows Exton, then a criminal defense attorney, aiming a handgun at his former spouse. Prosecutors stated that the gun miraculously did not fire because Exton had left the safety on. As Exton fumbled with the weapon, waiter Tracy Cole Jr. intervened, tackling Exton to the ground, preventing a potential murder.
Lucas County Prosecutor Julia Bates told WTOL that Exton did not intend to dine at the restaurant but rather to commit what appeared to be a public execution. "Nothing in their training... could have prepared the staff for what walked through that door," Bates said.
According to prosecutors, Exton had been drinking at a nearby bar when he saw his ex-wife, whose identity has not been released, dining with her family during the restaurant's opening night. He initially sent her a drink before spitting at her as he left, only to return and attempt the shooting. The handgun was loaded with one round in the chamber and seven in the magazine.
During his trial, Exton testified that he did not intend to pull the trigger, claiming he pointed the gun to pressure his ex-wife into expediting the sale of their former home. Exton, who previously had law offices in Sylvania and Traverse City, Michigan, had his law license suspended in May 2025 following the incident. He was found guilty on Friday.