Video Shows North Carolina Cop Choke Black Man At Waffle House

WARSAW, NC — Warsaw police are investigating after video surfaced of a white police officer violently choking a black man at a Waffle House and then slamming him to the ground in the parking lot.

Anthony Wall, 22, told media outlets he went to the restaurant on Saturday after taking his 16-year-old sister to prom. At some point, an argument broke out between him and the employees. Police were called. Video of the argument shows Wall and a female shouting obscenities at the employees.

But it's what happens next that has sparked outrage on social media: A police officer responding to the scene slams Wall against a window of the restaurant and wraps his hands around Wall's neck. The officer then slams Wall onto the ground, and presses his face into the curb.

"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.

The video, posted on Facebook on Tuesday, has been viewed more than 581,000 times and shared more than 28,000 times.

Wall told The News & Observer on Wednesday that the altercation left him with a back injury and a cut on his arm.

Wall, who was reportedly charged with resisting arrest and disorderly conduct, says he wants to raise awareness.

"This have to stop please help by share reporting to ever news report u know please," he wrote in a Facebook post.

Police Chief Eric Southerland said in a statement to media outlets that they are talking to witnesses and trying to gather more video.

"We have also reached out to the District Attorney's Office to make him aware of the investigation," the statement said. "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."

Southerland told the newspaper that social media comments on the video get "ugly."

"I wish people would not blow things out of proportion and not let one situation create any additional situations," Southerland said.

Warsaw is a town about 60 miles southeast of Raleigh in Duplin County. It has a little over 3,000 residents, according to the 2010 census.

Patch has reached out to Wall and will update when we hear back.

Photo credit: Screenshot YouTube video