PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Bucks County District Attorney’s office said the 44-year-old who was shot by police earlier this month after allegedly pointing a gun at another driver’s head in Bensalem should have never been on the streets after a lengthy list of other violent crimes.
John Mathis, 44, was shot by Bensalem police around 6 p.m. on August 2nd after they were called by a driver on Bristol Pike near Woodhaven Road and told a guy on a motorcycle pulled up next to that person’s car, pointed a gun at his head, and was following him. Surveillance video captured the incident.
“You can see him put his hand right up to the driver's side window with his hand extended after a gun was visible in his waistband,” said Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn.
She said when a Bensalem police officer arrived, Mathis was clearly holding that gun, ignored commands to drop the weapon, and tried to run.
“He turned his head toward the officer, and the muzzle pointed in the direction of the officer. At that point in time, the officer had no choice but to fire three shots,” Schorn said.
Police in Northeast Philadelphia later told investigators that Mathis fit the description of someone who had just robbed a cell phone store.
“There was close to $1,000 in us cash. US currency, and there was a black mask,” she said, referring to items recovered from Mathis.
In addition to a lengthy criminal record, Schorn said Mathis is also facing charges from five days earlier, accused of smashing another driver’s window with a baseball bat.
“He was in fact awaiting prosecution for an aggravated assault while DUI, meaning allegations related to causing serious bodily injury to a victim when he was under the influence of the controlled substance methamphetamine, not only that, he had two open state parole violation matters, and he additionally had two sentencing matters for felonies,” she added.
Mathis is charged with robbery, weapons violations, and a list of other crimes.