Students Injured By Pepper Spray Discharge On School Bus: AACPS

This story was last updated Wednesday at 12:02 p.m.

FORT MEADE, MD — A pepper spray discharge sent three Anne Arundel County students to hospitals Tuesday afternoon, officials told Patch.

The school system's communication office expected the injured students to be released from the hospital that evening. Officials have already contacted the families of the injured students, Anne Arundel County Public Schools said.

AACPS spokesperson Bob Mosier said the discharge happened on a bus driving students home from Meade Middle School. The bus was on westbound Maryland Route 32 just east of Maryland Route 198 at the time, WBAL reported.

Mosier said the bus immediately pulled over.

WBAL's helicopter footage showed that the scene temporarily closed westbound Route 32. The highway has since reopened, AACPS said.

Mosier said about 50 students were on the bus.

AACPS said it called medics to the scene to evaluate the students because the pepper spray went off in an enclosed space.

The uninjured students went home on a replacement bus, Mosier said.

AACPS said it identified two students involved in the pepper spray discharge. Officials don't know if the spraying was intentional.

"The school is taking appropriate action regarding the students identified as it relates to the pepper spray discharge," Mosier said in an email. "The priority this afternoon has been to ensure that students get home and those that need additional evaluation receive it."

This map shows the area where WBAL said the incident happened.