22-year-old Anthony Wall’s night started at prom with his sister, and ended being choked and slammed by a police officer outside of a Waffle House.
Police have launched an investigation after the North Carolina officer wrestled Wall to the ground in an alarming confrontation, all captured on video.
After taking his 16-year-old sister to prom, Wall got into an argument with Waffle House employees. When the police arrived, one officer held Wall by his neck while he repeatedly yelled, “Get your hands off of me!”
The officer is seen wrestling Wall to the ground before taking him into custody for resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. The video, which Wall shared on Facebook, has been viewed over 900,000 times.
Warning: This video contains violence and profane language.
While WTVD said “he takes full responsibility for his interaction with Waffle House employees,” Wall said the officer’s behavior was uncalled for.
“I was pretty much trying to scream for air and trying to breathe because he was holding my throat, and that’s when I got aggressive with him,” he told WTVD. “Your hands should have never been around my neck like that if my hands were in the air.”
The Facebook video was enough to spark an investigation, which Warsaw Police Chief Eric Southerland said will be reviewed by the District Attorney’s office.
This incident comes just weeks after another controversial police use of force at a Waffle House restaurant.
Bernice King, Martin Luther King Jr.’s daughter, has called for a Waffle House boycott, and we’re with her on this one.
Family, let’s stay out of @WaffleHouse until the corporate office legitimately and seriously commits to 1) discussion on racism, 2) employee training, and 3) other plans to change; and until they start to implement changes. https://t.co/NJWFOBKN7i
— Be A King (@BerniceKing) May 10, 2018