Man Shot In Police Confrontation Had History Of Aggressive Behavior: Bucks Co. DA

BENSALEM TOWNSHIP, PA — The motorcyclist shot in a confrontation with Bensalem Police on Saturday had a "documented history" of aggressive behavior and numerous open criminal cases in Bucks County, authorities said.

The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office is investigating the incident, which began as an armed confrontation with John Thomas Mathis, 44, of Levittown, officials said. Mathis was injured in the shooting and remains hospitalized.

Authorities said that Mathis has numerous open criminal cases in Bucks County, including:

• An aggravated assault while DUI case in Bristol Township pending a trial date.
• Pending sentencings for receiving stolen property from a phone store in Bristol Borough.
• Receiving stolen property from a truck in Lower Southampton.
• A fleeing incident in Middletown Township.
• Two open state violation cases for theft by unlawful taking and retail theft.

After he pleaded guilty in the Bristol Borough case in July 2023, Bucks County prosecutors asked for his bail to be revoked, and a judge approved the request, authorities said.

But in May 2025, another judge placed Mathis on pre-trial supervision with GPS monitoring on all the open matters, despite the District Attorney's objections. Since then, Mathis has repeatedly violated his release conditions and even cut off his GPS monitor.

The Bristol Township Police Department had issued an active arrest warrant for Mathis involving a separate road rage incident on July 27. Police said Mathis allegedly intentionally caused two collisions, then got out of his vehicle with a baseball bat and struck the driver’s side door and front windshield of the other car before fleeing the scene.

On Saturday, a Bensalem police officer responded to northbound Bristol Pike for a motorcyclist engaged in a series of aggressive driving maneuvers. Police said a victim said Mathis allegedly drew a handgun, pointed it at his face, and threatened to rob him. The victim drove away and called 911, saying Mathis was following him.

Both the male and female victims in the car reported hearing the officer issue verbal commands before they saw Mathis run away from his motorcycle. The victims said they heard three gunshots and saw Mathis fall to the ground.

Mathis was admitted to Jefferson Torresdale Hospital and was in stable condition for gunshot wounds to his left shoulder blade area and one to his right armpit area.

Following established protocol, all police-involved shootings in Bucks County are investigated by county detectives and reviewed by the District Attorney. The officer involved in the shooting has been placed on administrative leave, per department policy.