3 years ago
Gaithersburg, Md. (WUSA) -- A bit of a scare Friday for thousands of students at Gaithersburg High School.
A noxious cloud sent 7 students and 2 staff members to the hospital. All 2100 youngsters were evacuated.
Firefighters now suspect it was pepper spray.
"There's some kind of gas inside. I don't know what it is," says student Vernon Young on a videodisc he shot as he evacuated the building.
Students say it felt like a million needles were poking you. "All of a sudden people took a deep breath and started coughing," says Anise Owens. She says the nasty cloud seeped into classrooms, until someone finally pulled the fire alarm.
The students streamed out of the building, first to a parking lot, and then to nearby rec center.
Police are trying to determine if someone shot off a canister of pepper spray in a hallway near the office.
"I was breathing it because I was trying to steady the camera," says Young. "I tried not to breath it, but then I started coughing and my eyes teared up."
Firefighters sent a half dozen students to the hospital just to get checked out. At least one staff member also went to the hospital.
Firefighters brought in fans to air out the building. And nearly 2 hours later, the teens were back inside.
Written by Bruce Leshan9NEWS NOW
