Malik Chandler Poses as Daughter on TikTok to Lure Alleged Abuser

In Grove City, Ohio, a father’s discovery of alleged abuse against his young daughter led to a confrontation that ended in gunfire and criminal charges for both men involved.

On July 15, 2026, the mother of an 11-year-old girl found a video on her daughter’s phone that appeared to show the child being sexually assaulted inside their home. She contacted police. The suspect was identified as 20-year-old Diego Montoya Gonzalez.

The TikTok Lure

The next day, the girl’s father, 31-year-old Malik Chandler, used his daughter’s TikTok account and posed as her to contact Gonzalez. He arranged for the man to return to the family’s Parlin Drive home.

When Gonzalez arrived, Chandler shot him twice. Chandler later told investigators he had planned only to confront and hold the man until police could arrest him. He claimed he fired after believing Gonzalez reached for a weapon. Chandler then set the gun down and called authorities.

Police found Gonzalez sitting in a chair with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds. He was taken to Grant Medical Center in Columbus.

Charges Filed

Chandler was charged with felonious assault. His bond was set at $100,000.

Gonzalez was later indicted on two counts of rape, five counts of pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor, and one count of obstructing official business. Prosecutors said additional videos of child sexual abuse, including material involving a very young child, were found on his phone. He pleaded not guilty.

Both men now face separate cases in Franklin County courts. The incident has drawn widespread attention and debate about parental response, self-defense claims, and how the justice system handles such cases.

All parties are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The focus remains on the legal process and the protection of the child involved.

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