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PANORAMA CITY, LOS ANGELES () — Dozens of students had to be assessed after pepper spray was released in a classroom at a high school in Panorama City, according to fire officials.
A student reportedly used a canister of pepper spray inside a classroom full of students at Panorama High School, located in the 8000 block of Van Nuys Boulevard, on Wednesday afternoon, according to the Los Angeles Unified School District.
AIR7 video from above the scene shows multiple Los Angeles Fire Department ambulances and fire trucks outside of the school, in addition to their hazmat team.
A triage area was set up inside the school, where about 28 patients were assessed for minor symptoms, including throat irritation and headaches, according to LAFD. In total, 14 students in good condition were released to their families. The remaining students were unaffected.
The campus was placed on a brief lockdown during the incident, and all students who were not exposed to the pepper spray were released with a modified dismissal.
LAFD said hazmat readings are at normal background levels in the school and there is no ongoing threat.
No students had to be transported to the hospital.
The school district said the investigation into the incident is ongoing.
A spokesperson from the Los Angeles Unified School District sent Eyewitness News the following statement:
“This is the Principal with an important announcement. The health and safety of our students and our staff remains my top priority. I wanted to take the time to inform you of an incident where school staff intervened when a student used a canister of pepper spray inside a classroom. We have notified the parents of the students involved and are investigating the incident further in accordance with Los Angeles Unified policy. Out of an abundance of caution, the campus was placed on a brief lockdown at approximately 3:25 pm while Los Angeles School Police officers investigated further. All students not affected or exposed are being released with a modified dismissal.
We are providing counselors to any student who may need support or someone to talk to. Please reach out to us if your child needs assistance. This incident provides an opportunity to speak with your child about making positive choices and to remind them to tell an adult if they are experiencing issues with other students. We also encourage everyone to follow the District’s message: if you see something, say something. As a friendly reminder, the Los Angeles Schools Anonymous Reporting (LASAR) mobile app is designed to report non-emergency incidents anonymously. It is available for free download in the Apple and Android App Stores.
The Los Angeles Unified family strives to treat everyone with respect, kindness and compassion at every school. The incident that occurred is being carefully reviewed. The school community will continue to look at safety procedures and provide opportunities for any student impacted by the incident to discuss their perspective on how to mediate conflicts that arise, both on campus and within the community. If you have any questions, please call me.”
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