A Hudson High School student was arrested Friday after deputies said the student used pepper spray on a group of people on campus and then fled. The sheriff’s office said people exposed to the spray were receiving medical attention but did not state how many were affected. Nearby Hudson Academy briefly went on controlled campus status during the search.
In a Friday update posted at 12:13 p.m., the Pasco Sheriff's Office said the student was arrested on two counts of aggravated battery, along with possession of a weapon on school grounds, discharge of a weapon on school grounds, and disorderly conduct. The update was posted by Pasco Sheriff
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The sheriff's office said deputies searched for the student after the student left campus and later confirmed they were with the person who deployed the spray. The agency did not release the number of people who received medical attention or details about their symptoms or outcomes.
Controlled Campus Status at Nearby School
The sheriff's office said nearby Hudson Academy was briefly placed on controlled campus status while deputies searched for the student. It did not provide further details about the decision. The agency later said schools in the area had resumed normal operations and there was no ongoing threat.
The sheriff's office did not release the student's name, age or additional details about the alleged weapon involved in the possession and discharge charges. No arrest report, booking record or school district statement accompanied the update.
A Florida comparison and reporting context
A separate incident at Lake Worth High School in September 2025 involved a school police officer using pepper spray during a fight in a crowded cafeteria. CBS12 News reported that 20 to 30 people were treated and taken to hospitals. The reported circumstances and response differ from the Hudson incident: the sheriff's office has not described what led to the spray being used in Hudson or given a total for those receiving medical attention. For statewide reporting context, the Florida Department of Education says it compiles school safety and student discipline data collected through Survey 5 for federal and state reports. Broward County Public Schools describes Florida’s SESIR system as collecting information on 26 types of crime, violence and disruptive behavior, including incidents on school grounds, school transportation and at off-campus, school-sponsored events.
What Pepper Spray Exposure Can Do
Pepper spray, also known as oleoresin capsicum, is designed to incapacitate through intense but typically temporary effects.
The sheriff's update did not explain what led to the incident. The student's identity, the number of people exposed and their medical outcomes also remain unknown based on the information released by the sheriff's office.
