Burbank, California — A movie theater screening took an unexpected turn Tuesday evening when a man allegedly pepper-sprayed another moviegoer over cellphone use, leading to an arrest and hospital treatment for multiple patrons.
Burbank police responded to AMC Burbank 16 at about 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 15 after receiving a report that one moviegoer had been pepper-sprayed inside the theater. Police later identified the suspect as 34-year-old Matthew Ware of Los Angeles, who was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor battery.
Two other moviegoers also experienced irritation from the spray and were treated at a local hospital, according to Burbank police.
Pepper Spray Incident Happens During Movie
The incident reportedly occurred about 30 to 40 minutes into a screening of “The Uprising,” a film starring Andrew Garfield and Thomasin McKenzie.
Witness Joe Rodriguez told CBS Los Angeles that he was watching the movie when he heard the sound of an aerosol spray coming from several rows behind him.
Shortly afterward, someone yelled that they had been pepper-sprayed, while the suspect was reportedly seen leaving the theater.
Rodriguez said the moviegoer who was sprayed had been using his cellphone with the screen brightness turned down. According to the witness, Ware approached the man and asked him to turn off the phone.
The man refused, and Ware allegedly responded by spraying him with pepper spray. The details about the confrontation come from witness accounts and police reports, while authorities have not publicly established every detail of what happened immediately before the spray was used.
Witness Describes the Theater as Being in Shock
Rodriguez said the incident was unlike anything he had previously experienced while watching a movie.
“It was definitely the most bizarre thing I’ve ever seen happen at the movies,” Rodriguez said.
He also described the interaction that reportedly happened before the pepper spray was used.
“This is insane — [that] this grown man would resort to that,” Rodriguez said. “They gave him the benefit of the doubt; he did try to use his words initially, but that’s just unacceptable.”
After Ware allegedly left the theater, the affected moviegoer and two other witnesses reportedly went outside and sought help from theater employees.
Police were contacted, and officers eventually located Ware inside the theater lobby, where he was taken into custody.
Two Other Moviegoers Were Treated
The pepper spray did not reportedly affect only the person who was initially targeted.
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Two additional moviegoers experienced irritation from the spray and were treated at a local hospital, according to Burbank police. Authorities have not provided further details about the medical condition of the affected patrons.
The incident also resulted in the theater offering refunds to people who had purchased tickets for the screening. Rodriguez said the theater offered to refund everyone’s tickets after the incident.
“To be completely honest, the movie wasn’t my cup of tea,” he joked. “I was more thrilled by what happened than the movie itself.”
Matthew Ware Arrested on Misdemeanor Battery Suspicion
Police identified the suspect as Matthew Ware, 34, of Los Angeles. Ware was arrested and booked on suspicion of misdemeanor battery, according to Burbank police. Later records reported by ABC7 Los Angeles indicate that he was released the following morning.
The arrest followed a disagreement that investigators said involved cellphone use during the movie.
While cellphone use can be a source of frustration for moviegoers, the circumstances surrounding this incident escalated beyond a typical theater complaint and resulted in police intervention.
For those inside the theater, what began as a disagreement over a phone quickly became a situation involving pepper spray, medical treatment and an arrest.
What would you do if another moviegoer was using their phone during a screening? Would you alert theater staff or handle the situation differently? Share your thoughts in the comments.
