Students pepper-sprayed as fight broken up at Lithonia High

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Emergency responders treated 10 students and one school resource officer for pepper spray exposure after a fight broke out at Lithonia High School Thursday afternoon.
 
NewsChopper 2 flew over the scene at Lithonia High as DeKalb County EMTs worked to get the pepper spray out of the eyes and the skin of students and resource officers.
 
The district said it all started when two girls started fighting and a resource officer used pepper spray to try and break it up.
 
While Channel 2's Richard Elliot was outside the school, Ashley Zachary's mother pulled up. She said Ashley Zachary was one of the girls involved in that fight.
 
Ashley Zachary said she was Maced, but what she meant was she was hit with that pepper spray.
 
"The officer Maced everybody and he Maced me in my mouth and my eyes," Ashley Zachery said. "It doesn't feel good. My eyes, they still burn.
 
Ashley Zachary didn't say what the fight was about, but her mother, Tameka Zachary, said she's been bullied at school before.
 
She believes the SRO went over the line using pepper spray.
 
"It's ridiculous because she has breathing problems and health issues, and they don't know it, do you know what I'm saying," Tameka Zachary said.
 
The incident is now under investigation by the school district.
 
In a news release, the district said, "Our first priority is always the safety of all our students and staff."

WSBTV