Malik Chandler saw what no father should ever have to see: a video showing a man sexually assaulting his 11-year-old daughter inside her Grove City, Ohio, home.
The girl's mother found the footage on July 15 and called the police. One day later, Chandler decided the accused man would return.
Chandler, 31, used his daughter's TikTok account to pose as the girl and lure Diego Montoya Gonzalez back to the apartment. Chandler told investigators he planned to beat Gonzalez, hold him, and call police.
According to the outlet, citing a criminal complaint, the girl’s father claimed he planned to beat up Montoya Gonzalez and then notify police, but believed he saw the 20-year-old reaching for a weapon, which prompted him to open fire. Montoya Gonzalez was allegedly shot twice in the ordeal, per WBNS.
A neighbor told WSYX that she couldn’t believe it.
“I can see why he went after him, she said, per the outlet. “I’m not saying it’s right, but that at least makes some sense. It wasn’t a senseless thing.”
Montoya Gonzalez was given a $70,000 bond, court records show; it is unclear if he has been released.
When Gonzalez reached toward a pocket, Chandler believed he was going for a weapon. Chandler grabbed a gun from the counter and fired twice.
Officers found Gonzalez sitting in a chair with two gunshot wounds. He survived and was taken to Grant Medical Center. Chandler was arrested and later indicted on felonious assault and having a weapon while under disability.
A Franklin County grand jury later indicted Gonzalez, 20, on two counts of rape, five counts of pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor, and one count of obstructing official business.
ABC6:
Grove City police confirmed Thursday the arrest of Diego Montoya Gonzalez in connection to a rape involving a minor.
Grove City PD located Gonzalez and arrested him on July 22 in collaboration with the Strategic Response Team after he ran away from officers.
Gonzalez is being held on one count of rape and two counts of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor.
Authorities have been investigating the case after the rape of a child was reported on July 15.
Gonzalez was the victim of a shooting that occurred on July 16 after allegedly being lured to an apartment by the father of the minor.
Officers found Gonzalez suffering from two gun shot wounds and he was taken to Grant Medical Center to be treated for his injuries.
A relative of the alleged victim, identified as Malik Chandler, claims to have retaliated after learning of the sexual assault.
Prosecutors said investigators found additional videos on his phone showing children being sexually abused, including an infant or toddler.
Gonzalez pleaded not guilty.
Then came the bond decisions. Chandler's bond was set at $100,000. Gonzalez received a $20,000 recognizance bond and a separate $50,000 cash or surety bond, producing a reported total of $70,000.
The man accused of raping an 11-year-old girl and possessing videos depicting the abuse of even younger children received the lower figure.
Ohio courts weigh public safety, criminal history, flight risk, and other factors when setting pretrial conditions. Chandler allegedly arranged a confrontation and fired a gun, both facts a judge needed to consider.
People are also free to judge the judgment. Chandler faced the higher bond after confronting the man accused of violating his child. Gonzalez faced the lower amount after prosecutors described evidence involving several abused children.
I applaud Chandler's refusal to stand idle after seeing what happened to his daughter. I also see character in the fact that Chandler lived!
Chandler fired twice and stopped; Gonzalez was alive and seated when officers arrived.
Restraint can be measured by the line a furious person refuses to cross. Chandler had just watched his daughter's childhood being torn apart on a phone screen.
He still stopped.
I pray I never face the nightmare Chandler faced. Most parents probably feel the same. A courtroom should understand the moral face behind his actions, even while judging their legality.
Chandler will answer for pulling the trigger, while Gonzalez will face the evidence behind far darker charges. The bond figures represent the father as the greater danger, but many parents will look at those numbers and reach the opposite conclusion.
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