Pepper spray scare at elementary school

AVONDALE, Ariz. (KSAZ) - A pepper spray was the cause of a scare for students at an Avondale elementary school on Friday, after someone brought it into a seventh grade classroom.

According to reports, one of the students sprayed it, which caused 23 students and a teacher to be evacuated. Six of the kids were taken to the hospital to get checked out.

No one was seriously injured by the incident, and the school was later given the all clear.

According to police, officers responded to a call of a "pepper spray incident" just after 11:45 a.m. at Canyon Breeze Elementary School. After asking around, officials determined a seventh grade girl brought in a small container of pepper spray on a keychain, and police said another seventh grader sprayed a quarter-sized amount onto the floor, out of curiosity.

Although the spray was not directly sprayed on anyone, the fumes and effects of the pepper spray caused the evacuation.

"I was worried about my little brothers," said Alfonso Barrientos. "I was concerned, like, what else is gonna happen?"

Sergeant Thomas Alt with Avondale Police said where there are no criminal charges through the police department at this time, the school is, according to Alt, going to pursue punishment for the students involved.

Canyon Breeze Elementary sent students home with a letter for parents explaining the incident. The letter read, in part:

The safety of our students and staff is our number one priority... The Avondale Police Department are currently working with us to investigate the incident and all parents of students involved in the incident have been contacted. Thank you for doing your part to help us keep Canyon Breeze a safe place to learn.