Unarmed man dies after being pepper sprayed because he 'resisted arrest' 

  • Anthony Dewayne Ware, 35, died on Friday after being pepper sprayed by police in Tuscaloosa, Alabama
  • Ware, who was wanted on a domestic violence strangulation charge, ran into a wooded area when police tried to detain him
  • Officers said he resisted arrest and they used pepper spray to subdue him
  • Police performed CPR and Ware was taken to hospital where he later died
  • The six officers that were involved in the arrest have not been put on leave

Anthony Dewayne Ware, 35, died after being pepper sprayed by Tuscaloosa, Alabama, police on Friday

Anthony Dewayne Ware, 35, died after being pepper sprayed by Tuscaloosa, Alabama, police on Friday

An Alabama man died after being pepper sprayed by police on Friday, authorities said.  

Anthony Dewayne Ware, 35, was pepper sprayed by Tuscaloosa police after resisting arrest, officers said. He was not shot or tased during the incident.

Police are investigating body- and dash-cam footage of the incident, which will later be released. 

None of the six officers that were involved in the arrest have been put on leave. They have yet to be identified.  

At 9.19pm on Friday, Tuscaloosa Police received a call that Ware, who was wanted for attempting to elude police, was at Crescent East Apartments armed with a gun. 

When officers arrived, the suspect fled to a nearby wooded area, where police said he resisted arrest, according to WBRC.

Police used pepper spray in an effort to subdue him, before he was handcuffed. While officers and Ware were walking out of the woods, Ware collapsed.

Assistant Police Chief Ronnie Dunn told WBRC that Ware had been having trouble breathing while walking out of the woods.  

Officers performed CPR and called for medical help. Ware was taken to DCH Health System and was pronounced dead at 10.42pm. 

Ware was not found in possession of a weapon, police said, according to ABC.  

District Attorney Lyn Head has asked for witnesses to step forward. Ware's brother was allowed to ride in the ambulance to the hospital with him, she said. 

A homicide team made up of supervisors and non-Tuscaloosa Police Investigators are investigating the incident. 

An arrest warrant was out for Ware on a domestic violence strangulation charge. 

Tuscaloosa Police went to the apartment complex after a caller said Ware, who was wanted for attempting to elude police, was there with a gun. He fled the scene and police said they used pepper spray after he resisted arrest

Tuscaloosa Police went to the apartment complex after a caller said Ware, who was wanted for attempting to elude police, was there with a gun. He fled the scene and police said they used pepper spray after he resisted arrest

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