A simmering weekend dispute erupted into a pepper-spraying brawl Monday morning at Augusta's Laney High School.
LHS Principal Marvin Washington emailed a letter to students' families on Monday to update them on the outburst involving "multiple" students.
Richmond County School System police responded quickly to what Washington called a "physical altercation" as students arrived at school.
"Due to the size and intensity of the altercation, responding officers deployed pepper spray to quickly de-escalate the situation and ensure everyone's safety," he said. "The area was ventilated, medical staff evaluated those affected, and normal school operations quickly resumed."
School officials believe "the incident stemmed from an off-campus dispute that occurred over the weekend," Washington said. His letter offered no specifics on the number of students involved.
Authorities are applying the school system's code of conduct "and applicable laws" to deal with the incident, he said.
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Pepper spray breaks up student fight at Augusta's Laney High School
