9 Students Hospitalized After Being Pepper Sprayed At School

CHICAGO (STMW) -- Nine students at a Near North Side bilingual public elementary school were hospitalized Wednesday afternoon after a student accidentally discharged pepper spray.

The student was apparently playing with a can of pepper spray when it went off about 3:20 p.m. at the Ruben Salazar Bilingual Center in the 100 block of West Wendell Street, authorities said.

Paramedics took nine students to area hospitals in good to fair condition, according to Fire Media Affairs. Six students went to the University of Chicago Comer's Children's Hospital and three to Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

Wednesday was the final day of classes, according to the school's website.

CPS said in a statement, "This was an unfortunate accident and school officials took the appropriate steps this afternoon." It referred all other questions to police.

(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2013. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)