School Building Evacuated After Pepper Spray Attack

Four Ventura High School students went home feeling nauseous Thursday after someone apparently squirted pepper spray in a hallway, authorities said.

School officials evacuated 120 people from a west campus building about 9:30 a.m., after students heading to class suddenly felt their eyes burn, throats sting and stomachs turn.

“I was just walking up the stairs, and I started coughing,” said student Matt Datlow, 15.

Dozens of youths gagged, grew weak and slumped in their chairs after staggering into classrooms, students and teachers said.

Four students were treated by the school nurse and went home for the rest of the day, officials said.

Meanwhile, police, paramedics and firefighters converged on the scene, using powerful fans to blast away the fumes. The evacuation lasted about 30 minutes.

No others were hurt, and school officials were struggling to find out who caused the trouble. A search of the building turned up no evidence, but investigators said the physical symptoms were probably caused by pepper spray.

The incident alarmed Supt. Joseph Spirito, who called pepper spray a dangerous weapon and vowed to expel anyone involved. However, he cautioned against viewing the incident as linked to a wave of recent campus crimes, including a gang attack on a school bus earlier this year.

“I’d like to believe it was a prank, just a foolish thing kids do,” Spirito said. “But if it was done to hurt someone or create havoc, that’s another thing.”

Three freshman English classes and one junior English class were evacuated from the building, where the school auditorium is located, Principal Larry Emrich said. Students had offered few leads as of Thursday afternoon, he said.