Toledo, Ohio: Newly resurfaced video from a shooting attempt at Sabira, an Italian restaurant in Toledo, Ohio, is drawing attention after showing how a restaurant waiter intervened to stop an armed attack.
The incident happened on April 11, 2025, when former criminal defense lawyer Matthew Exton, 43, allegedly pulled out a loaded handgun and pointed it at his former wife, who was dining with family at the restaurant. According to prosecutors, the weapon initially failed to fire because its safety was engaged.
As Exton struggled with the firearm, waiter Tracy Cole Jr. rushed toward him and tackled him to the ground, preventing the situation from escalating further. Prosecutors later described the intervention as critical in stopping what they characterized as an attempted public execution.
Exton was subsequently convicted of attempted murder and two counts of felonious assault. Reports say he had argued that he did not intend to shoot his former wife but wanted to pressure her over the sale of their former home. His law license was later suspended.
The dramatic footage has renewed attention on Cole’s actions and the danger faced by restaurant workers and customers during the incident.