Police use pepper spray at Newark High fight

Two Newark High School students are facing disorderly conduct charges following a fight Friday morning that erupted in the school's football stadium where the student body had been evacuated due to a bomb threat, police said.

Another student was hospitalized for an unrelated asthma attack and several more were treated on the scene by emergency workers for symptoms resulting from the effects of pepper spray used by officers to break up the initial fight, said Newark police spokesman Lt. Mark Farrall.

The incident unfolded about 7:31 a.m. when Christina School District officials received information that a bomb threat had been called in to the school, said district spokeswoman Wendy Lapham.

"We followed protocol and evacuated the students to the football stadium area," she said.

About 15 minutes later, a fight broke out there between two students and an officer used pepper spray to break up the fight and take the pair into custody, Farrall said.

"Several students suffered symptoms from the residual effects of the pepper spray and were treated at the scene by medical workers," he said.

A student sitting in the stands away from the fight scene suffered an unrelated asthma attack and was taken by ambulance to the hospital, he said.

The New Castle County explosive ordnance disposal unit arrived about 8:30 a.m., along with two bomb-sniffing dogs from Wilmington Police Department and one from the state police, to sweep the school for explosives.

The school was cleared by police and students were allowed back inside shortly after 10 a.m, Farrall said.

Newark detectives along with detectives from the University of Delaware are investigating the origin of the bomb threat, that was called into New Castle County police dispatch, Farrall said, adding he had no information about the caller.

This incident is the second one this week at the high school at 350 E. Delaware Ave.

Fourteen students were suspended following an incident Monday after separate brawls broke out in the cafeteria and the C and D hallways that sparked a police response from three police agencies to quell.

The 14 students were expected to be charged by week's end with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

Umaymah Addul-Ahad, whose granddaughter attends Newark High School, said Friday that she was frustrated with what has been going on at the school this week.

"It's the fourth time this week it's been something," Addul-Ahad said. "First it was the riots, then something with a BB-gun and now a bomb threat. It's sickening and nerve-wracking because you worry about your children."

There were 2,495 incidents of fights and disorderly conduct reported in Delaware during the last school year, involving about 3,368 students, according to the Department of Education figures.

There were 48 incidents of fighting/disorderly conduct reported at Newark High School last school year, involving a total of 78 students.

Reporter Matthew Albright and Damian Giletto contributed to this story.

Contact Terri Sanginiti at (302) 324-2771 or tsanginiti@delawareonline.com