ENNESAW, Ga. – What would you do if a man in a bar parking lot pointed a gun at you and your friends?
Matt Solon, now 25, leapt into action, disarmed the gunman and whaled on him, making sure he was unable to further advance on him or his friends.
His swift moves seemed heroic to witnesses, but when police arrived, they arrested him. And, only him, that night.
Solon was handcuffed, put in the back of a Kennesaw Police officer’s cruiser and charged with battery and possessing a firearm during the commission of a crime.
Solon told 11Alive investigators that he was saving his three friends, including a U.S. congressman’s son from being shot—police officers on the scene, said he was an assailant who went too far.
The man who pulled the gun? He wasn’t immediately arrested—but, already had charges pending against him that involved drugs and gun possession.
Here’s the whole story.
Gunman was awaiting trial on felony gun, drug charges
On April 22, 2017, Cobb County Police found Cooper passed out with his foot on the brake and his car in drive, at an intersection.
Officers located a loaded 9mm handgun in his car’s center console, along with scales and a jar full of marijuana.
He was arrested and charged with having an open container, DUI, felony possession of drugs with intent to deliver, and possession of a firearm during commission of a felony.
Cooper’s bail restrictions did not prohibit him from possessing firearms while he was on bail for felony gun charges.
Cooper is awaiting trial on multiple charges related to the parking lot incident, and he is on probation for April’s felony drug conviction.
But, now, Solon worries every time he sees a police cruiser in his rearview mirror.
“They're going to see this when they run my plate that I've been arrested before,” he said.
“For a gun-related charge… And they're going to think in their head, ‘Oh this guy just had a good lawyer, he got off it.’”
Cooper did not respond to our requests for an interview.
#1: Dead Culture Watch To: Deckard (#0)
I fell for your dumbass shit once again and look like an ass now.
The entire, purposely way too long article, points to the faggot ‘hero’ being a low life, and, out of line, and, a felon probably.
Dood. Fuck you.
Dead Culture Watch posted on 2020-07-12 21:51:48 Reply Private Reply
#2: Deckard To: Dead Culture Watch (#1)
Wow...did you even bother watching? Matt Solon, and his friends had a gun pulled on them.
Solon disarmed the thug, took his gun, called the cops, who arrested HIM on a weapons charge after saving his three friends, including a U.S. congressman’s son. It wasn't even HIS gun.
One of the victims on the other side of the gun barrel is Army veteran and son of U.S. Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Ga., 25-year-old Michael Loudermilk. Next to him is 24-year-old Solon, friend and fellow Army veteran who served in Afghanistan.
With the gun pointed at him and his friends’ direction and without hesitation, Solon leaps into action, charging the gunman, Dwight Cooper Jr., and disarms him.
As Cooper attempts to flee, Solon pistol whips him in the head, kicks his head, and calls 911 for help.
Cooper is the thug who attacked them and yes, he is the one with a criminal record.
He was not even legally allowed to own a handgun.
Deckard posted on 2020-07-12 22:16:14 Reply Private Reply
#3: Dead Culture Watch To: Deckard (#2)
The fact only one was tells me cops are not my friend. Derr.
Dont paint the obviously drunk and erratic and full of adrenaline person as the hero. He was in the wrong also.
Dont do this shit is my point.
Dead Culture Watch posted on 2020-07-12 22:21:57 Reply Private Reply
#4: Deckard To: Dead Culture Watch (#3)
Yeah...Solon should have just let the thug shoot him and his friends.
Dont paint the obviously drunk and erratic and full of adrenaline person as the hero. He was in the wrong also.
Bullshit! So what if the victims were drunk - does the term "self defense" mean anything to you? Solon relied on his military traning to put down the would be murderer.
I bet you think that the couple who defended their mansion from a swarm of BLM thugs was wrong too?
Oh yeah - they were defending their home.
Police seize gun at home of St. Louis couple who pointed weapons at protesters
Deckard posted on 2020-07-12 22:36:30 Reply Private Reply
#5: Dead Culture Watch To: Deckard (#4)
Holy shit. Did i NOT acknowledge cops arent on my side?
Wtf does another, obvious Soros action have to do with the OP? Ill wait while you have dissonance run through your brain. And then, await another punt.
Dead Culture Watch posted on 2020-07-12 23:39:42 Reply Private Reply
#6: Deckard To: Dead Culture Watch (#5)
Got it.
Deckard posted on 2020-07-13 00:51:17 Reply Private Reply
#7: Deckard To: Dead Culture Watch (#1)
Just wanted to add - Nice job denigrating an American Army veteran with your lies scumbag.
Dood. Fuck you.
Sod off tosser.
Deckard posted on 2020-07-13 03:16:15 Reply Private Reply
#8: Deckard To: Dead Culture Watch (#1)
The charges against Solon "the faggot hero" were eventually dropped.
He has since filed a lawsuit against the City.
Veteran sues Kennesaw police officers, alleges they fabricated evidence
The how and why of Solon’s arrest is in dispute. Officer Joshua Hale wrote in his report that when officers arrived on the scene, Solon disobeyed orders and that he told police he took Cooper’s weapon and struck him in the head with it “so he would stay down.”
Solon says this is a lie. He alleges in his lawsuit that the police fabricated the statement so they could arrest him after he criticized their handling of the incident. The charges against Solon were eventually dropped, while the charges against Cooper are pending.
Deckard posted on 2020-07-13 09:43:02 Reply Private Reply
#9: sneakypete To: Dead Culture Watch (#1)
So you are saying the guy that rescued his friends from an armed robbery,and possibly being shot to death should go to jail because he is a homosexual?????
Go find your mama and tell her you need to be slapped until her arm is tired for embarrassing her.
Right is right and wrong is wrong,regardless of who is doing either.
sneakypete posted on 2020-07-13 13:34:03 Reply Private Reply
#10: sneakypete To: Deckard (#8)
Once again,none of us know all the details,but it SEEMS to me the cop was pissed that Solon ran his mouth at the cops,so the cops fabricated a BS charge against him for being disrespectful. IF that is what happened,that cop needs to be fired. At a minimum. He should also face assault with a deadly weapon charges.
And yes,this crap does happen. I walked into my neighborhood liquor store in Denver one night and knocked out a guy that was robbing the place. Had a revolver in my pocket,but didn't have the time to draw it,so I hit him,told the owners wife to call the cops,patted him down for weapons (he didn't have one. Just his hand in his coat pocket),and knowing the DPD,gave my revolver to the owners wife and told her to put it under the counter and say it is hers if asked.
The DPD showed up once they had time to bring the SWAT wagon and 3 or 4 patrol cars to escort the Defectives,and the very first thing they did was throw me up against a wall,pat me down,and threaten to arrest me for interfering in police business.
If I had lived in Denver for another 2 years,I would have been sniping at them from rooftops.
sneakypete posted on 2020-07-13 13:48:22 Reply Private Reply