A 34-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of battery after allegedly pepper-spraying a fellow moviegoer at a Burbank AMC theater for using a cellphone during a film.
The incident occurred Tuesday evening at the AMC 16 theater. Burbank Police were dispatched to the location around 5:30 p.m. following reports of an altercation. Authorities arrested Matthew Ware of Los Angeles on suspicion of misdemeanor battery. He was subsequently booked into the Burbank Jail and released the following morning.
According to reports, the event unfolded after an aerosol spray was deployed, leading to one person screaming that they had been pepper-sprayed. Police located Ware in the lobby and took him into custody. Images shared on social media depicted officers handcuffing an individual matching Ware's description.
At least two other individuals were treated at a local hospital for exposure to the pepper spray, as reported by KTLA-TV. The incident has generated considerable discussion on social media platforms, with reactions ranging from support for Ware's alleged actions due to frustration with disruptive phone use in theaters, to criticism of the use of pepper spray as an excessive response.
