A North Carolina teen’s prom night ended up with police choking her older brother at a Waffle House, cell phone footage posted to Facebook on May 8 show.
The brother, identified by The News & Observer as 22-year-old Anthony Wall, went to the Waffle House after taking his 16-year-old sister to the prom on May 5. A patron called 911 and an employee hit a panic alarm after Wall, a black man, became verbally abusive to the employees, according to Warsaw Police Chief Eric Southerland. Southerland said they’re still investigating whether Wall also became physically abusive.
Videos by VICE
But it’s still unclear what led a Warsaw Police Department officer to slam Wall against the ground and choke him. Video of the incident, which has amassed over 2,100 views, doesn’t show what happened before or afterward. That night, Wall was charged with resisting arrest and disorderly conduct but released on bail, according to Southerland.
“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 because you are choking me,” Wall told ABC11. He added that while he takes full responsibility for arguing with Waffle House employees, he doesn’t think the cop’s actions were justified.
“Your hands should have never been around my neck like that if my hands were in the air,” he told the news outlet.
Southerland told VICE News that the department and District Attorney Ernie Lee are still investigating the incident and would not identify the officer in the video. The officer has taken a few days off the job, but he’s not on official leave, according to Southerland. The department isn’t providing the public with any other updates until their investigation concludes.
“Right now, we’ve given him a couple of days off just because of the threats and turmoil involved,” Southerland said. “Right now, we’re trying to get all the facts and get the investigation complete. It’s more of a safety concern for the officer.”
Wall didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment via his personal Facebook, where the video was posted.
Wall’s treatment and subsequent arrest are the latest instance of violence to occur at a Waffle House in recent months. A nearly naked gunman killed four people at a Nashville Waffle House in late April. And three police officers wrestled a black woman to the ground after getting into an argument with employees at an Alabama Waffle House.
Cover image: Screenshot via video posted to Anthony Wall’s personal Facebook.
