The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office is investigating an officer-involved shooting in Bensalem Township on Saturday, August 2, 2025. The incident began as an armed confrontation involving a motorcyclist with a documented history of aggressive behavior and numerous open criminal cases in Bucks County.

The suspect, identified as John Thomas Mathis, 44, of Levittown, was injured in the shooting and remains hospitalized.

At approximately 5:43 p.m., a Bensalem Township Police Officer was dispatched to the incident on northbound Bristol Pike. A male victim reported that a motorcyclist, later identified as Mathis, had engaged in a series of aggressive driving maneuvers and had brandished a firearm. The victim stated that Mathis allegedly drew the handgun, pointed it at his face, and threatened to rob him. The victim drove away and called 911, reporting that Mathis was continuing to follow him.

Upon arrival, the Bensalem officer positioned his patrol vehicle between the victim's car and the motorcycle. 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 then heard three gunshots and observed Mathis fall to the ground. Multiple officers arrived on the scene and began rendering medical aid to Mathis. The motorcyclist's black handgun was recovered at the scene.

Mathis was transported to Jefferson Torresdale Hospital, where he was admitted in stable condition. He sustained two gunshot wounds to his left shoulder blade area and one to his right armpit area.

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, and a fleeing incident in Middletown.
• 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. However, 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. As a result, his bail was revoked again last Thursday, and bench warrants were issued for his arrest in connection with the outstanding cases.

In addition, the Bristol Township Police Department issued an active arrest warrant for Mathis in connection with a separate road rage incident on July 27. In that case, Mathis is alleged to have intentionally caused two collisions, then exited his vehicle with a baseball bat and struck the driver’s side door and front windshield of the other car before fleeing the scene.

In accordance with 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.

No further information will be released at this time.

Media Contact: Manuel Gamiz Jr., 215.348.6298, mgamiz@buckscounty.org.

Criminal charges are allegations subject to proof in court. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.