MILFORD, MASS. (WHDH) - Students at Stacy Middle School in Milford are back in class Thursday after a student set off pepper spray Wednesday afternoon, sending several people to the hospital.
Officials said the incident happened around 2 p.m. Though officials said they don’t believe anyone was hit directly in the face, 10 students and one staff member were taken to the hospital by ambulance after this incident.
Between 30 and 40 people also had to be assessed by paramedics at a triage area set up outside another nearby school.
“Unfortunately, students make bad choices sometimes,” Schools Superintendent Kevin McIntyre said. “This was a very bad choice.”
Officials said the student in this incident set off the pepper spray from a second floor area in the school’s front lobby. The pepper spray prompted an evacuation, with SKY7-HD cameras later capturing video of students and staff gathered outside.
McIntyre said officials did not initially know what the substance was. Officials were only able to later identify the substance as pepper spray after hazmat personnel got into the empty building.
“It’s respiratory illness, excessive salivation — it’s the watery eyes, the disorientation, the fear factor,” said Milford Deputy Police Chief Robert Tusino of symptoms in this incident. “They don’t know what it is, we don’t know what it is.”
While students evacuated, parents rushed to pick up their children after receiving a vague alert about an unknown substance set off in the school.
Many parents also said they didn’t have a way to get in contact with their children since students had to leave their belongings inside.
“I don’t know where he is,” said parent Francheska Serrano. “I don’t know how long this is going to take and all we got was an email saying there was going to be a delay.”
“I’m still in shock, you know?” said fellow parent Livia Morales. “It’s scary when something happens at the school.”
McIntyre said he did not know as of Wednesday if the male students responsible for this incident set the spray off intentionally.
He said the school is now investigating, though, to find out how and why this incident happened.
“Obviously, there’s going to be serious consequences just based on the impact it’s had on the school and the school community,” McIntyre said.
All afternoon activities at Stacy Middle School were canceled on Wednesday.
Officials said students were not allowed back into their school Wednesday and will have to wait until Thursday to get belongings left inside.
In the meantime, officials said the school will be getting a thorough cleaning from its custodial staff.
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