A man attacked a school bus driver and threatened the students on board. FILE (Credit: KSLTV)
Cottonwood Heights police are investigating a HAZMAT situation involving about two dozen Butler Middle School students on Friday.
Paramedics are giving medical care to one student after being hit in the eyes with a white powder, police say.
The substance is reportedly a food-additive powder.
The injured student is being treated for pain and swelling in the eyes.
Canyons School District spokesperson Jeff Haney says a male student walking alongside a school bus threw some sort of white powder through the window and into the bus Friday afternoon.
“Some students who were on the bus reported feeling ill immediately after seeing that substance come into the window,” Haney says.
HAZMAT crews arrived on the scene.
Haney says they took about two dozen students off the bus so they could be evaluated by paramedics and moved them to the school’s auditorium.
Students reported experiencing respiratory distress, stinging eyes and blurry vision.
Parents have been able to retrieve their students.
Cottonwood Heights Police say they know who the suspect student is but they don’t know where the student is.
The officers did say police have talked to the boy’s parents.
Initially, Unified Fire Authority spokesperson Keith Garner said the substance was a protein-based powder, possibly a type of pepper spray.
Kira Hoffelmeyer contributed to this report.