A man was arrested at a Burbank AMC for allegedly using pepper spray
Matthew Ware, a 34-year-old man from Los Angeles, was taken into custody by Burbank police following a chaotic scene at the AMC Burbank 16. The incident occurred during a screening of the Andrew Garfield film The…
Matthew Ware, a 34-year-old man from Los Angeles, was taken into custody by Burbank police following a chaotic scene at the AMC Burbank 16. The incident occurred during a screening of the Andrew Garfield film The Uprising, resulting in a swift arrest after the suspect allegedly deployed pepper spray inside the auditorium.
As reported by the NY Post, the situation reportedly unfolded about 40 minutes into the film. According to witnesses, the confrontation began when Ware noticed a man in the audience using his phone. Even though the victim reportedly kept his screen brightness low, Ware took issue with the behavior and asked him to turn the device off.
When the victim refused to comply, the situation escalated rapidly. A furious Ware allegedly opted to use pepper spray on the man rather than continue the conversation or alert theater staff. The suspect reportedly bolted from the theater immediately after spraying the victim, leading several other attendees to chase him down.
He reportedly tried to escape
Police were called to the scene, and they managed to take Ware into custody in the lobby. He was subsequently booked at the Burbank Jail on a charge of misdemeanor battery. Joe Rodriguez, who was seated in the back of the theater, witnessed the entire ordeal.
He noted that while Ware initially attempted to use his words to address the phone usage, the decision to resort to pepper spray was completely unacceptable. Rodriguez expressed his disbelief at the situation, stating, “It was definitely the most bizarre thing I’ve ever seen happen at the movies.” He further commented, “This is insane. This grown man would resort to that.”
The fallout from the incident affected more than just the targeted individual. The Burbank Fire Department arrived at the theater to provide assistance, and two other moviegoers required treatment at a local hospital due to irritation from the pepper spray. Due to the disruption, the theater eventually offered to refund tickets for everyone in attendance.
Despite the intensity of the event, some patrons found a strange silver lining in the disruption. Rodriguez admitted that he was not particularly enjoying the movie before the commotion started. He joked, “To be completely honest, the movie wasn’t my cup of tea,” and added, “I was more thrilled by what happened than the movie itself.”