Police use pepper spray to break up ‘altercation’ at Henderson high school

A school police officer used pepper spray to break up a Monday altercation at Foothill High School, principal Jonathan Synold told parents in a Monday email.

“Several” students were involved in the fight during lunch, Synold said, and a Clark County School District police officer tried to break up the fight.

“When the officer could not separate the students so he was forced to use pepper spray,” Synold said. “As a result, the students who were involved and fewer than six witnesses in the immediate area were affected by the spray and needed to see the school nurse for treatment.”

The altercation comes as school violence has been a major talking point across the Las Vegas Valley. The Clark County School Board heard a presentation earlier this month about the issue.

Marie Neisess, president of the Clark County Education Association teachers union, said she had been contacted by many educators who were concerned about violence in classrooms.

“School fights are not new,” she said. “However, the intensity of the fights we’re seeing is very alarming.”

Additional information on Monday’s altercation was not immediately available.

Last August, police investigated a bomb threat at the school. The threat was later deemed “unsubstantiated.”

Contact Jonah Dylan at jdylan@reviewjournal.com. Follow @TheJonahDylan on Twitter.