Moment waiter tackles lawyer trying to shoot ex-wife at point-blank range

| Senior Live News reporter Published September 10, 2026 12:46pm Updated September 10, 2026 12:46pm To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A former lawyer tried to shoot his ex-wife in front of her family in a packed restaurant. Matthew Exton, 43, attempted to shoot her at an Ohio restaurant table, but his gun safety was left on, preventing the weapon from firing and giving precious seconds for a waiter to run to her rescue. The hero lunged at the disgraced former lawyer, tackling him to the floor during the incident in Toledo last year. The events unfolded on April 11 after Exton spotted his ex-wife Kayda Valone and her family inside Sabira restaurant, which was celebrating its opening night. Matthew Exton can be seen marching up to the family’s table (Picture: Sabira Restaurant) Emboldened by a drink he had had at a neighbouring bar, he ordered one on the family’s table. As he left the restaurant, he spat towards their table, the Lucas County prosecutor’s office detailed. CCTV shows how he returned moments later and marched to their table, where he pulled the gun out of his pocket. The ex-wife and her family can be seen raising their hands in the split second Exton tried to pull the trigger in a bid to protect themselves from bullets. Ms Valone told the court during her ex-husband’s trial: ‘I yelled ‘Gun!’ over and over again because I knew I was dead, and I didn’t want anyone else to get hurt.’ In a split-second move, he pulls the gun from his pocket and aims it at his ex-wife (Picture: Sabira Restaurant) She said the weapon was ‘aimed at my face’ while Exton’s finger was on the trigger, Toledo Blade reports. However, as the safety was still on, the waiter managed to grab Exton while others rushed to help before he could make another attempt. His gun was loaded with one round of bullets in the chamber plus seven others in the magazine, according to the prosecuting attorney’s office. The waiter, Tracy Cole Junior,was described as a hero who ‘saved at least three lives’ by prosecutors. Hero waiter Tracy Cole Jr first tackled the former lawyer before others rushed to help restrain him (Picture: Sabria Restaurant) Ms Valone told the court Exton had threatened her verbally and in writing before their divorce last year. Lucas County Prosecuting Attorney Julia R. Bates said: ‘Nothing in their training and soft openings at the restaurant could have prepared the staff for what walked through that door. ‘The defendant did not come with the intention of having a meal. He came with anger in him and with the intention to commit a public execution of his ex-wife at the restaurant that day. ‘We appreciate the jury’s service this week and we hope its decision provides some sense of closure for those seated at the table as well as the Sabira employees who were also victimised that day. ‘The employees and patrons who stepped in to stop the defendant that day are heroes. Exton, who was struck off as an attorney, was found guilty of attempted murder on Friday. He was also convicted of two counts of felonious assault, while being acquitted of one count of assault. He is due to be sentenced later this month. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. For more stories like this, check our news page. Arrow MORE: Man on trial for murder after attack victim dies 15 years later Arrow MORE: Woman dies after husband ‘drugged her to be raped by other men’ Arrow MORE: Donald Trump promises $5,000 to every American in wild midterm pledge Breaking News Never miss the biggest stories with breaking news alerts in your inbox.