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Burbank Man Arrested for Alleged Pepper-Spraying Moviegoer

By Drooid · Sep 21, 2026, 3:48 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Matthew Ware, 34, was arrested by Burbank police for allegedly pepper-spraying a patron.
The spray occurred after the patron refused to turn off a cellphone during the showing of “The Uprising.”
Two other moviegoers inhaled the spray and were treated for irritation at a local hospital.
Witness Joe Rodriguez posted photos on X and Instagram, noting the incident happened less than an hour into the film.

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Story summary

Matthew Ware, 34, was arrested by Burbank police for allegedly pepper-spraying a patron.
The spray occurred after the patron refused to turn off a cellphone during the showing of “The Uprising.”
Two other moviegoers inhaled the spray and were treated for irritation at a local hospital.
Witness Joe Rodriguez posted photos on X and Instagram, noting the incident happened less than an hour into the film.