Students pepper sprayed during physical altercation at McNair High
Several students at McNair High School were involved in a physical altercation and treated for pepper spray exposure Thursday, the DeKalb County School District said in a statement.
No serious injuries were reported, the district stated. The altercation “required the use of OC (oleoresin capsicum) spray to regain control.”
A video of the fight obtained by Channel 2 Action News shows multiple students fighting in a hallway. An adult appears to fire pepper spray on one group of students. The station said the person using the pepper spray appeared to be a school resource officer. District officials have not identified the person who used the pepper spray.
District officers are trained to use pepper spray “as a last resort and only when all other practical options have been exhausted,” the district explained in a second statement on Friday.
“It significantly minimizes the risk of severe injuries to those involved in physical altercations and the sworn officers charged with restoring order,” the district stated.
The district did not say how many students were involved or release any details about what led up to the use of pepper spray. District police and school administrators continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
About the Author
Cassidy Alexander covers Georgia education issues for the AJC. She previously covered education for The Daytona Beach News-Journal, and was named Florida's Outstanding New Journalist of the Year.
