Arrest Made Following Pepper Spray Incident at Burbank AMC Theater

A man aged 34 was taken into custody in Los Angeles after allegedly using pepper spray on another moviegoer at the AMC theater in Burbank. This incident followed a dispute over cellphone use during a movie screening, and it resulted in at least two other individuals receiving hospital treatment.

Eyewitnesses shared that they heard the distinct sound of aerosol spray before seeing a victim react with a scream. Burbank police officers were able to locate the suspect in the theater lobby and arrested him shortly thereafter.

The altercation has ignited a heated online debate among cinema enthusiasts. Some expressed understanding due to the frequent annoyance of cellphone use during films, while others criticized the use of pepper spray as an excessive measure.

Officer Brent Fekety from the Burbank Police Department stated that they were called to the AMC 16 theater around 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Matthew Ware, a Los Angeles resident, was arrested on charges of misdemeanor battery and subsequently booked at the Burbank Jail. He was released the following morning as indicated by jail records.

According to a report from KTLA-TV, a moviegoer contacted the police after hearing the aerosol spray followed by cries from a pepper-sprayed individual. Ware was found and detained in the theater lobby, with social media images showing a man wearing cargo shorts and a black T-shirt related to the ‘Terrifier’ horror series being handcuffed by officers. At least two other patrons were taken to a hospital for treatment due to exposure to the spray.

On social media, comments poured in. Some defended Ware, sharing personal grievances about cellphone usage in theaters, which is commonly regarded as disruptive. Others had little sympathy, with one user saying, ‘People on their phones in the theater are beyond idiots, but you cannot go pepper spraying them.’