Five students and one staffer were sickened at Clairemont High School Tuesday after someone released pepper spray in the girls’ locker room, prompting an evacuation of the gymnasium.
Linda Zintz, communications director with the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD), said a noxious odor from an unknown substance filled the air at around 10:40 a.m., causing students to cough. Zintz said all students and staffers were safe, and were evacuated from the gym as a precaution.
Officials with the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department (SDFD) were called to the campus to investigate. SDFD crews quickly determined there was no gas leak, but remained on site for about half an hour trying to figure out what caused the smell.
At around 11:35 a.m., Zintz said SDFD investigators had concluded the odor was pepper spray, released by an unknown person in the girls’ locker room.
The students and staffer sickened by the pepper spray were receiving first aid from the school nurse. There were no interruptions to other classes, Zintz said.
The incident is now being investigated by school police. Clairemont High School is located at 4150 Ute Dr.
