At about 11:15 a.m., the chemical was set off in a classroom at Quail Valley Middle School, then spread to the rest of the campus, making some students and staff feel ill.
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SkyEye13 captured the line of kids from up above. They were ushered outside while administrators tried to get to the bottom of the pepper spray.
It was not immediately known if the spray accidentally went off or if a student intentionally set it off, but if it was a prank, we're told proper disciplinary action will follow. Some parents weren't taking any chances and took their kids home early for the day.
"I was in the cafeteria and they told us to evacuate. I wasn't sure what was going on," student Adam Wade explained.
Parents were notified about the incident via email and voice text.
"With all the shootings and things that's been going on, it's scary. It's very, very scary, so I immediately left school. I told my job 'I'm not coming in today, I have to go get my child from school," parent Kimberly Murphy said.
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Fort Bend ISD says two students were transported to the hospital out of precaution, but that everyone was allowed to go back inside after firefighters gave the all-clear.
Fort Bend County released a statement about the incident:
"At approximately 11:15 a.m., a student sprayed pepper spray in one of our classrooms, which moved quickly throughout our entire building. Several students and staff members reported feeling ill due to the smell and we quickly evacuated our campus. Students and staff that began feeling ill are being assessed by EMS personnel, and we are thankful that the Missouri City Police Department and EMS responded so quickly. The Fort Bend ISD Police Department has also been notified.
We will update you when there is more information and when we resume our school day, but I want to assure you that we are taking all necessary steps to keep our students safe, and we are contacting the parents of those affected.
I am proud of the way our students handled the situation, which is similar to our regular safety drills. Thank you for your continued cooperation, and should you have any questions, please call 281-634-3600."