Viral video shows convicted former Ohio lawyer attempting to shoot ex-wife at restaurant

A viral video showing former Ohio lawyer Matthew Axton attempting to shoot his ex-wife in a crowded restaurant has received more than seven million views on X (formerly Twitter), sparking widespread reaction to the dramatic confrontation.

The footage shows Axton approaching his ex-wife’s desk with a gun and attempting to fire, but the weapon did not fire. The waiter and two other men then rushed to intervene when screams were heard at the Sabira restaurant in Toledo on April 11, 2025.

Viral footage shows attempted attack on restaurant

Viral footage shows Axton arriving at the restaurant and heading toward his ex-wife Kaida Valone, who was with a group of people. He had a gun, and when he pointed the weapon at Valone and tried to fire, it failed because the safety was still on.

The waiter immediately intervened and grabbed Axton before he could make another attempt. Two other men also helped restrain him as screams could be heard during the chaotic standoff.

Exton, 43, was convicted by a Lucas County jury of attempted murder, two felony counts and multiple firearms characteristics. He was acquitted of a third assault charge and faces up to 25 years in prison when he is sentenced on September 21.

X User Reaction: 7 Million People Watched Attempted Shooting at a Former Lawyer’s Restaurant

The video sparked a flurry of reactions on social media, with many users focusing on the fact that the loaded gun did not fire and that restaurant workers and patrons intervened. One user said Axton was “lucky” the gun didn’t fire, while another questioned the role of gun safety after seeing the footage.

A third praised the waiter and patrons who attacked Axton, calling the intervention a courageous act that denied him another chance to shoot. One commentator also described Exton’s actions as an example of someone risking their life over a dispute in a relationship.

Reactions varied wildly, but the main problem was the same: Axton was holding a loaded gun in a crowded restaurant and was stopped before he could make another attempt to fire.

How a drink order preceded an attempted attack on a restaurant

Lucas County Prosecutor Julia Bates said Axton was drinking at a nearby bar when he spotted his ex-wife and her family in Sabir. According to Bates, he initially entered the restaurant, ordered a drink to be delivered to their table and spat in the direction of the group before leaving.

Axton later returned with a gun and headed straight to Valone’s desk. Prosecutors said he tried to shoot her, but the gun did not fire because the safety was still on.

The firearm was loaded with one round in the chamber and seven additional rounds in the magazine, prosecutors said.

Axton later testified that he had no intention of pulling the trigger and claimed that he was trying to pressure his ex-wife to rush into selling their former home.

Bates called the incident a deliberate attack and not an attempt to resolve a property dispute.

“Nothing in their training and soft openings at the restaurants could have prepared the staff for what walked through that door,” Bates said.

“The accused did not come with the intention of eating. He came in anger and with the intention of carrying out the public execution of his ex-wife that same day in a restaurant.”

Exton’s law license was suspended by the Ohio Supreme Court in May 2025 following the incident. The court issued an immediate temporary suspension of activities while the criminal case is being considered.

He was also removed from the courtroom during closing arguments after he repeatedly interrupted prosecutors and watched the sentencing remotely from custody. A Lucas County jury found Axton guilty after a confrontation at a restaurant, finding him not guilty of one remaining assault charge.

He will be sentenced on September 21 and could receive up to 25 years in prison.