9 children hospitalized after pepper spray discharged at Grand Crossing elementary school: officials

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Nine children were hospitalized after someone discharged pepper spray at a South Side school on Tuesday afternoon, officials said.

Chopper 7 was over Paul Revere Elementary School in the Grand Crossing neighborhood.

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Chicago police said just before 3 p.m., an altercation between a female and a male of unknown ages became physical, and the female sprayed a chemical irritant, which the school's principal said was pepper spray, toward the male.

Five girls, two 13-year-olds and three 14-year-olds, and four boys, a 12-year-old, two 13-year-olds, and a 14-year-old, were taken to Comer Children's Hospital in good condition.

No one is in custody, and Area One detectives are investigating.

Further information was not immediately available.

Full message from Paul Revere Elementary School principal:

"Dear Revere Parents and Families,

The safety of our students and staff is always our top priority, and I am writing to inform you of an incident that occurred at school earlier today. This afternoon, there was a physical altercation inside our school building involving members of our school community. During the altercation, one of the individuals discharged pepper spray, impacting other community members. Staff immediately de-escalated the situation and notified the CPS Office of Safety and Security and the Chicago Police Department (CPD) to provide support. Out of an abundance of caution, notifications were made to ensure the impacted individuals received additional support, and their families have also been notified. All students and staff are safe.

While I cannot provide further details for privacy reasons, please know we are handling this matter in accordance with CPS policies to ensure the safety of our community. If your child witnessed this altercation and has voiced any concerns or fears about this incident, please let us know, and we will provide them with extra support. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me directly.

The video in the player above is from a previous report.

Sincerely,
Principal Broy"