7 students exposed to pepper spray at Antioch High Friday
Female student issued citation
Pepper spray is legal in CA but not for minors to possess
Could face up to $1,000 fine and/or up to 3 years in prison for misuse, up to $2,000 fine and/or 6 months in county jail for battery
By Lt. Franco Cesar, Antioch Police Department
On August 21, 2026, at approximately 1:47 p.m., Antioch Police Department officers responded to Antioch High School following reports of multiple students exposed to pepper spray. The incident occurred in a school hallway during a passing period.
A preliminary investigation revealed the incident stemmed from an ongoing dispute between two students. During the altercation, pepper spray was deployed, inadvertently affecting several nearby students.
Officers identified seven students affected by the spray. Emergency medical personnel evaluated the victims on scene and transported three students to a local hospital for further evaluation and treatment. No serious injuries were reported.
Responding officers located the juvenile responsible for deploying the pepper spray. She was issued a citation for Possession/Use of Tear Gas by a Minor and Battery, then released to her parents. Due to the suspect’s age, her identity will not be released.
The Antioch Police Department remains committed to campus safety and continues to work in close partnership with Antioch Unified School District administrators during school incidents.
Case No.: 26-7951
According to the Antioch Police CitizenRIMS Map, the incident occurred at 1:38 PM and is listed as a misdemeanor possession of a weapon at school K-12 626.10(A)(1) PC and 243(A) PC – battery. Incident Number:2608210130.
Pepper Spray is Legal in CA But Not for Minors to Possess
According to Zarc International, “Pepper spray in CA is Legal. Subject to certain restrictions, Section 12403.7 of the Penal Code provides ‘any person may purchase, possess or use tear gas and tear gas weapons for the projection or release of tear gas if the tear gas and tear gas weapons are used solely for self-defense purposes.’
“The definition of tear gas also includes pepper spray. The restrictions include a prohibition against selling such a unit to a minor, and a provision limiting the size to 2.5 ounces by weight.
“The misuse of tear gas in California comes with state penalties of up to a $1,000 fine and/or up to three years in prison, not to mention a possible felony conviction on record. Some examples of misuse include: using tear gas on people in anger, spraying it as a joke, possession of tear gas by prohibited persons, minors, drug addicts or persons convicted of felonies.
“To be legally purchased, possessed or used in California, any canister must have a label that says ‘WARNING: The use of this substance or device for any purpose other than self-defense is a crime under the law. The contents are dangerous–use with care.’ The maximum legal net weight for a canister is 2.5 ounces, or 70 grams of OC, CS or CN. CR is not legal for civilian use.”
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
the attachments to this post:
APD CitizenRIMS pepper spray 082126
APD pepper spray AHS
