Chapin, South Carolina: Incident at Chapin High School Causes Concern
A troubling incident at Chapin High School led to alarm among students and parents on Wednesday. The situation unfolded when a school resource officer (SRO) examined a backpack left behind in a classroom around 11:30 a.m.
Medical Symptoms Reported
According to an incident report from the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department (LCSD), while inspecting the bag, the SRO began experiencing chest pains and shortness of breath. Other staff members also reported feeling dizzy and light-headed after their interaction with the backpack.
Quick Action by Authorities
School principal Ed Davis sent out an email addressing the situation the following morning. He shared that, out of an abundance of caution, school officials had contacted various emergency services, including the LCSD, Lexington Fire Department, and the Hazardous Materials Unit of Lexington County.
Authorities arrived and tested the backpack at approximately 1 p.m. Luckily, they discovered no hazardous materials inside. The school received an all-clear status around 1:45 p.m.
All Staff Safe
All staff members involved in the search received on-site medical attention and were cleared to return to their duties shortly thereafter.
Addressing the Rumors
Principal Davis later acknowledged that rumors had begun circulating within the community, suggesting that the medical symptoms might be linked to fentanyl exposure. He emphasized that there were no first-hand accounts, police reports, or incident reports indicating that anyone had been exposed to fentanyl or any other dangerous substances.
Despite the concern, the school has no information on how these rumors began and assured everyone that the situation was handled responsibly and effectively.
Unrelated Medical Emergency
Additionally, Davis mentioned there was an unrelated incident where EMS was summoned to assist a student experiencing a medical emergency. However, no further details about that student have been released.
As the community processes this incident, officials encourage everyone to stay calm and informed. With the quick response from school and emergency services, the situation has been resolved without further issues.
