Senior water balloon prank ends in fight, pepper spray

FORT MYERS, Fla. — What started out as senior prank water balloon fight Monday spun out of control and into a fight between two students ending in deputies pepper spraying more than a dozen students and arresting four more.

More than 500 students of Gulf Coast High School were in the school's main courtyard about 12:20 p.m. ET during lunch when the first volley happened inside the cafeteria, said Greg Turchetta, spokesman of the Collier County School District.

Seniors slung the water balloons at teachers in jest until one of the seniors struck a fellow student with a balloon.

"That student took exception to it," Turchetta said, "and went after one of the kids who threw it."

The fight moved from water balloons to fists.

The Collier County sheriff's deputies assigned to the school tried to break up the fight, but nothing was working.

"There was a lot of people in a tight space, and they made the decision to pepper spray," Turchetta said.

"They were not listening to his commands," said Krista Williamson, spokeswoman of the Collier County Sheriff's Office. "He pepper sprayed one of those students to try to get the fight to cease."

But the two fighting weren't the only ones who caught the spicy stream.

"There were several students in the area who felt residual effects of the pepper spray" she said.

By the end, 21 students were treated at the nurse's office, Turchetta said.

He said he saw some of the kids who were affected, mostly red and watery eyes.

"It's what you'd expect from a pepper spray situation," he said.

The two students who were fighting were arrested on charges of fighting and resisting arrest without violence, and two more student were arrested on charges of obstruction of justice for interfering with deputies trying to help break up the fight, she said.

Although they graduate on May 29, this is the last week for seniors, so pranks are inevitable.

Turchetta said students usually work with their administrators and principals throughout Collier County to plan seniors pranks — but that wasn't the case Monday.

"We know you're going to try some pranks," he said. "This one was not communicated. It's unfortunate this happened."

As far as whether or not these arrests jeopardize any students' graduation status: "It's hard to tell at this point," Turchetta said.