By Roger Lanse

A security person from Silver High School informed the Grant County Regional Dispatch Authority about noon, Friday, Nov. 12, 2021, that someone had sprayed pepper spray in a hallway near the school's office, and multiple students were coughing and complaining of irritated throats. He said, according to a Silver City Police Department incident report narrative, that medical staff were checking on the students and school administrators had evacuated the school.

An SCPD officer was dispatched by GCRDA to the school in reference to a battery call at 12:07 p.m. and met with school administrators, the narrative said. The officer reported smelling the odor of a chemical which caused the officer to cough and based on his training and experience he identified the chemical as pepper spray.

Based on a verbal statement and three written statements from students, a female student was identified as the one who discharged the pepper spray, according to the narrative. The verbal statement advised the witnessing of the female student spraying "the pepper spray in the hallway when the lunch bell rang." Written student statements said they "observed (the female student) holding the pepper spray that is on her keyring, turned her keys to the side, and deployed the pepper spray," "did hear (the female student) talking about doing a devious act," "being close enough that ____ did hear the spray be deployed," and that, ____ also heard in the classroom that (the female student) thought it would be funny to spray it."

According to the narrative, about an hour and a half later, the officer spoke with the student and her father. The student stated she does have a can of pepper spray, but "she did not intentionally spray the pepper spray and if she did, it was an accident." As security, the narrative said, was still working on video footage, the officer explained to the student if the footage shows her intentionally spraying it she could be facing charges once he speaks to the students who were affected by the pepper spray. The student and her father were free to leave.

The officer followed-up the next day via telephone with all the people, except for one, who were seen by medical personnel relative to the pepper spray, including students and staff. All stated they were doing alright and none wanted to press charges.