Riverhead High School student in police custody after using pepper spray on another, officials say
A Riverhead High School student is in police custody following an altercation Friday morning where one student sprayed another with pepper spray, officials said. Credit: James Carbone
A Riverhead High School student is in police custody following an altercation Friday morning where one student sprayed another with pepper spray, Augustine Tornatore, superintendent of the Riverhead Central School District, wrote in a letter to parents.
Residue from the pepper spray impacted the air quality in the school's hallway, resulting in other students and security guards being affected, Tornatore wrote.
"All of those impacted received medical treatment, and the parents and guardians of affected students were contacted," the superintendent wrote. "The hallway has been cleaned and no longer contains any residue and is safe for passage. The school day remains uninterrupted, and classes will continue as usual."
The student who used the pepper spray was taken into custody by the Riverhead Police Department.
A Riverhead police official declined to comment, citing the ongoing investigation.
"The district prioritizes safety and security, and altercations of this nature will not be tolerated," Tornatore wrote, "We will continue to work alongside the Riverhead Police Department throughout the investigation, and the two students in the altercation will face full disciplinary action in accordance with Riverhead High School's code of conduct."
It was not immediately clear the age, gender, and grade of the students involved in the incident or what prompted the altercation.
The first day of classes at the high school was on Wednesday.
Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.
