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Irritant released inside Halifax-area high school, three facing charges: RCMP

HALIFAX — Three students are facing charges after a fight outside a Halifax-area high school moved inside, where one of the teens allegedly sprayed some sort of irritant, prompting a three-hour lockdown.
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Police say a school northwest of Halifax has been locked down after someone released an irritant, affecting some students and staff. An RCMP logo is seen at a news conference in St. John's on Saturday, June 24, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

HALIFAX — Three students are facing charges after a fight outside a Halifax-area high school moved inside, where one of the teens allegedly sprayed some sort of irritant, prompting a three-hour lockdown.

Halifax District RCMP said they received a call for help from Bay View High School in Upper Tantallon at around 9:30 a.m. on Friday.

The Mounties allege two male youths had assaulted another male youth outside the school, and when the fight moved inside the school's lobby, the third boy sprayed an irritant that injured all three youths and two school employees. They were treated at the scene for minor injuries.

"It affected the individuals in a similar way that bear spray or pepper spray would," RCMP Cpl. Guillaume Tremblay said in an interview.

The three youths were arrested at the scene, and the lockdown was lifted at 12:15 p.m.

Police later confirmed two of the boys are each facing an assault charge, and the third boy is facing a charge of assault with a weapon.

They were released on conditions and are scheduled to appear in Halifax youth justice court on Dec. 21.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 1, 2023.

The Canadian Press