Police in North Carolina are investigating after a viral video showed an officer choking a black man, still dressed in his tuxedo from prom, outside a Waffle House.
Warsaw, North Carolina police are investigating after one of their officers was captured on video putting his hands around the throat of a 22-year-old who had his hands in the air, seemingly not resisting arrest, outside of a Waffle House.
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The video, captured on the night of Saturday, May 5, shows 22-year-old Anthony Wall and a Warsaw, North Carolina police officer outside of a Waffle House. With onlookers claiming “he’s not supposed to be doing that,” the officer is seen putting his hands around Wall’s throat, who does not appear to be resisting arrest, before forcefully throwing him to the ground.
Wall, who had taken his 16-year-old sister to prom, allegedly had a verbal altercation with staff members, who called police to escort him out of the building. After officers arrived, Wall was choked, slammed to the ground, and eventually put in handcuffs, suffering injuries to his back and arm in the process.
“I was pretty much trying to scream for air and trying to breathe because he was holding my throat,” Wall explained during an interview with WTVD. “And that’s when I got aggressive with him because — you are choking me.”
Although Wall says that he takes full responsibility for actions inside of the restaurant with Waffle House employees, he called the officer’s actions outside of the restaurant unjustified.
“Your hands should have never been around my neck like that if my hands were in the air,” he said.
The incident drew national interest after he posted a video of the encounter on Facebook, where it’s been viewed nearly a million times.
The Warsaw Police Department and the local district attorney are investigating the incident to determine whether the officer in the video used unnecessary force.
“We are currently investigating the whole incident, interviewing witnesses and gathering additional video. We have also reached out to the District Attorney’s Office to make him aware of the investigation. Once the investigation is complete and the District Attorney has had a chance to review the case we will provide the public with an update on the findings,” Police Chief Eric Southerland said in a statement.
Wall was charged with resisting arrest and disorderly conduct for the argument inside the Waffle House.
