Victims sent to hospitals after student gets hold of keychain
By Jason Trahan
The Dallas Morning News (Texas)
Copyright 2006 The Dallas Morning News
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News
Fourteen children and a teacher were taken to area hospitals after a student squirted pepper spray into a hallway at a west Oak Cliff elementary school Thursday morning.
Dallas Fire-Rescue was called to Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary, 1665 Duncanville Road, at 10:02 a.m. after a report of a carbon monoxide or natural gas leak when students complained of difficulty breathing and irritated throats.
Officials soon learned that a student had gotten a teacher’s keychain, which had a half-ounce can of pepper spray on it, and dispensed it into a hallway full of people.
It was unclear whether the student would be punished.
“We don’t comment on student discipline issues,” said Ivette Cruz, a spokeswoman for the Dallas Independent School District. “I don’t know if he was arrested.”
Principal Lilia Gutierrez could not be reached for comment.
The students were treated at Children’s Medical Center Dallas, and the teacher was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital, said Dallas Fire-Rescue spokeswoman Annette Ponce.
The school was evacuated, but by 11:30 a.m., a hazardous-materials crew determined that the school was safe and students returned to their classes.