A father in Grove City, Ohio, was arrested and charged with felonious assault and having a weapon while under disability after he allegedly shot a man accused of sexually assaulting his 11-year-old daughter. The shooting incident, which occurred on July 16, unfolded amidst an ongoing police investigation into the sexual assault allegations against the accused individual, Diego Montoya Gonzalez.
The investigation into Gonzalez began on July 15 when Grove City police responded to a report of a sexual assault involving a child. According to police records, the girl’s mother contacted authorities after discovering a video on her daughter’s phone that appeared to depict sexual conduct involving the child at their home. Investigators subsequently identified Gonzalez as the alleged perpetrator.
Gonzalez was located and taken into custody on July 22 during an operation involving Grove City police and a specialized response team. Police reported that Gonzalez attempted to flee from officers before his apprehension. He was initially held on charges including rape and pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor.
The case garnered additional attention following the July 16 shooting, which occurred at the same residence where the alleged sexual assault took place, just one day after the initial report to police. Officers responding to the shooting found Gonzalez suffering from two gunshot wounds and transported him to a hospital for treatment. Court records later identified the child's father as the individual accused in the shooting.
According to court documents, the father allegedly contacted Gonzalez through the social media platform TikTok, reportedly pretending to be his daughter, in an effort to lure Gonzalez back to the apartment. The father informed police that his intention was to confront and physically assault Gonzalez before contacting law enforcement. However, he later stated that the situation escalated when he believed Gonzalez reached for a firearm, leading him to discharge his weapon.
The father, whose identity is being withheld by Resist the Mainstream to protect the privacy of the minor involved, was subsequently arrested and charged. He is currently being held on a $100,000 bond. Court documents also reveal that the father had a prior misdemeanor conviction for attempted breaking and entering and had previously faced a charge related to an alleged domestic incident involving a girlfriend, though that case was dismissed.
In the ongoing investigation into Gonzalez, prosecutors disclosed that authorities discovered additional videos on his phone that allegedly depicted the sexual abuse of children, with one video reportedly involving an infant or toddler. A Franklin County grand jury has since indicted Gonzalez on expanded charges, which now include two counts of rape, five counts of pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor, and one count of obstructing official business. He had previously been charged with one count of rape, two counts of pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor, and obstruction.
During his arraignment in Franklin County Common Pleas Court, Gonzalez pleaded not guilty to the charges. A judge set his bond at $20,000 recognizance and an additional $50,000 cash or surety. If released, Gonzalez has been ordered to avoid any contact with the alleged victim's family and is restricted from using the internet except for employment purposes. Both the criminal proceedings involving Gonzalez and the child’s father remain ongoing in the court system.
