BAINBRIDGE TOWNSHIP, Ohio — It’s a case that gained international attention —a man shot at a Bainbridge Township dog park last April after a heated argument about President Donald Trump. Now, the man who was shot David Mattai is doing his first on-camera interview in Northeast Ohio with the News 5 Investigators.
HOW DID IT START?
It all started when Mattai overhead two men at the park talking about President Trump.
“I decided to jump in like…the guy’s a traitor. He’s the worst president,” said Mattai. He told us everything was just a verbal argument until the accused shooter Emmanuel Mathews, 80, said something insulting about his family.
“He said, ‘Did your mother drop you on your head?’ And at that point, I did grab his hair and said, “You don’t get to talk about my mother,’” said Mattai.
THE SHOOTING
He told us a witness broke the two apart and as Mattai was leaving, he saw Mathews in his own car take out a large gun and put it on the dashboard.
“Essentially brandishing it to me…like I’m not going to take this lightly. I’m going to try to kill you because you grabbed my hair,” said Mattai. “I mean what else can one think?”
Mattai said he told Mathews he has a gun, too, and as he was getting into his car, that’s when Mathews shot Mattai in the back.
“Did you show him the weapon? we asked.
“No. I just said it. Never showed it to him,” said Mattai.
He told us after being shot, he then reached into his car, grabbed his gun and returned fire.
Police arrested Mathews and charged him with felonious assault.
ANKLE MONITOR QUESTION
There’s a hearing on November 16th where Mathews is asking for his ankle monitor to be taken off. Mattai said he’s afraid of retaliation. “I and my family are in great fear of what we have to face within that small county (Geauga),” he said.
“Should he be allowed to get off the ankle monitor,” we said.
“Correct,” replied Mattai.
DEFENSE RESPONSE, MATTAI ALSO CHARGED
Ian Friedman is Mathews’ attorney who said, “Mr. Mathews does not pose any threat to Mr. Mattai or anyone else.” He also told us what Mathews did was self-defense. “If (Mathews) did not act in that moment that his life was in serious danger,” said Friedman.
Mattai has been charged with two misdemeanors: assault and disorderly conduct. He said he was intoxicated the day of the shooting.
“Yes, I was,” he told us.
“Alcohol? Drugs? Both?” we asked.
“Both. I took full advantage of marijuana being legal in Ohio,” answered Mattai.
He said he’s been sober since the day after the shooting that left him with lasting scars and permanent injuries.
MATTAI QUESTIONS IF THERE'S BEEN FAIR TREATMENT
He told us he feels Mathews is being treated more favorably because Matthews is close with Geauga County Prosecutor Jim Flaiz. “There’s an attempt to brush it under the rug, cut off my feet, and try to move on,” insisted Mattai.
Flaiz recused himself from the case and did not return our call for comment.
The Bainbridge Township Police Chief Jon Bokovitz said from the onset, the case has been handled like any other with no special treatment and it, too, recused itself from further investigation into Mathews.
“(Mathews) absolutely is not getting special treatment at all,” said Mathews’ attorney Friedman.
Mattai said his bond conditions are harsher than Mathews, and that his accused shooter should be charged with a higher crime.
“He shot me with a .45 caliber weapon from 5 feet away, fully intending to murder me,” said Mattai.
