Sheriff’s deputies fired pepper balls to disperse brawling students at a Southern California middle school Tuesday.
The barrage came after an estimated 50 students refused orders to abandon the fight on the campus of Landmark Middle School in Riverside County’s Moreno Valley.
Twenty-three students were treated by firefighters for exposure to the irritant, and several were taken to a hospital as a precautionary measure, Sheriff’s Deputy Robyn Flores said.
A 14-year-old girl was arrested on suspicion of involvement in the disturbance, officials said. The sheriff’s department said investigators would attempt to identify other students involved in the fight, which broke out around 12:30 p.m.
It’s not known what the fight was about.
It was the second incident of the day that drew law enforcement to Landmark Middle School. At 10:50 a.m., there was a false report of a shooting on the campus. A 13-year-old was arrested on suspicion of making the false call and was booked into Riverside Juvenile Hall, the sheriff’s office said.
Flores said it was not known if the fight was related to the shooting call.
Landmark Middle School has about 1,200 students, in sixth through eighth grades.
