2 Charged With Pepper Spraying Quincy College

QUINCY, MA — Police found what caused Quincy College to be evacuated Wednesday night, after students reported feeling a stinging sensation in their throats. Two women were arrested after police said they sprayed pepper spray throughout the third floor lounge.

The spray caused one woman to call for an ambulance. Fire officials said the woman was awake, but having trouble breathing and felt pain on the right side of her body. When arriving police and fire officials found other students complaining they felt similar symptoms including having trouble breathing, dizziness, coughing, stinging throats and itchy skin.

A hazmat team was called to campus. The building was evacuated and fire officials inspected each floor, police said. At 9 p.m., Wednesday, authorities declared the building safe. After declaring the building safe, police reviewed security footage of the third floor.

Hannah Craig, 18, of Medford and Samani Freeman, 19, of Mattapan, police said were seen on security footage spraying the third floor lounge of the school. Police found the two woman on Coddington Street, arrested them and took a can of pepper spray as evidence.

Craig and Freeman were charged with two counts of assault and battery with a deadly weapon, assault by means dangerous weapon, disturbance of a school, noxious substance in a building and disorderly conduct.

The pepper spray caused two students to be taken to Quincy Medical Center for treatment. One of them is still under observation, wile the other has already been released. The other students refused medical treatment. Police said a total of six people had complained of minor respiratory distress.

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