Texas Student Starts Filming Officer — Moments Later, the Cop Responds in Way That Has Him Under Review

A Texas police officer has been placed on leave after footage surfaced on the Internet appearing to show him pepper spraying a student without any provocation.

According to KTRK-TV, police responded on the night of October 6 to a disturbance call in Waller, Texas.

Mass communications student Bobby Hall, who studies at Texas A&M University, decided to do what he's trained to do — pick up his camera and begin recording.

"Yeah, it's what I do," the aspiring photojournalist explained to KTRK. "I was just filming, using my First Amendment right."

Officer Adolphus Cannon apparently didn't appreciate being on camera. Video captured by Hall shows him pepper spray the student without any apparent provocation.

"It just started burning my face," Hall told KTRK. "It was burning."

Student Bobby Hall was pepper-sprayed by a police officer while recording a response to a disturbance call. (Image source: KTRK-TV screen grab)

The Waller Police Department has since placed Cannon on leave, pending the outcome of an investigation.

[sharequote align="center"]""We are currently reviewing this incident..."[/sharequote]

"We became aware of a video in which one of our officers may have used pepper spray during an encounter with a civilian," a statement said. "We are currently reviewing this incident to determine the officer's compliance with standard operating procedures. The officer has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of our review."

Waller told KTRK that the officer also tried to negotiate with him, telling him that he'd let him go if the video stayed off the Internet. Hall said he feels the officer should lose his job for his conduct.

"I think he should lose his job. I feel like I didn't do anything wrong. I was just using my First Amendment Right. I feel like he was abusing his authority," he said.

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