Highland Park High School student facing charges after hot sauce prank
By John P. Huston, Chicago Tribune reporter
8:10 p.m. CDT, June 5, 2013
A Highland Park High School student is being charged as a juvenile after spiking a container of marinara sauce in the cafeteria lunch line with a fiery hot sauce that sent three people to the hospital, police said Wednesday. Now the school is installing a security camera in the cafeteria.
Three cafeteria workers were treated May 14 by the school nurse before being sent to a hospital with symptoms including coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and skin rashes, Township School District 113 spokeswoman Natalie Kaplan said. The employees were released the same day, and no one reported serious injuries.
The three cafeteria employees didn't have to eat the spiked sauce to develop the symptoms, according to Kaplan. That's because it was no ordinary hot sauce, said Highland Park police Deputy Chief George Pfutzenreuter.
"I don't think you can find this one in the store. It sounds like this kid had to get it someplace special," he said of the Da Bomb brand sauce.
"It was just being near it," Kaplan said. Two students also reported symptoms but did not require a trip to the hospital, she added.
The district had bought a security surveillance system a few months ago and was choosing locations for the cameras, Kaplan said.
"We decided, based upon that incident, that we'll go ahead and install cameras in the cafeteria where the incident occurred," Kaplan said.
The prankster was identified by the school and disciplined, but Kaplan declined to elaborate, citing privacy concerns.
Pfutzenreuter said the 17-year-old is expected to be referred to juvenile court this week on five counts of misdemeanor battery. The student told authorities it was meant as a prank, he added.
The Da Bomb website features videos of sweaty and doubled-over reactions to ingesting a spoonful of its various sauces, as well as this line: "They look and smell perfectly innocent. But when they explode on your taste buds, in your throat, and deep down in your stomach and bowels, you'll know you're in a war."
I have this hot sauce and it's a lot like Daves Ultimate Insanity, dark brown and absolutely painful to consume. The last time I had it was in a pot of chili that it ruined. You guys think criminal charges is too harsh on this one?
By John P. Huston, Chicago Tribune reporter
8:10 p.m. CDT, June 5, 2013
A Highland Park High School student is being charged as a juvenile after spiking a container of marinara sauce in the cafeteria lunch line with a fiery hot sauce that sent three people to the hospital, police said Wednesday. Now the school is installing a security camera in the cafeteria.
Three cafeteria workers were treated May 14 by the school nurse before being sent to a hospital with symptoms including coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and skin rashes, Township School District 113 spokeswoman Natalie Kaplan said. The employees were released the same day, and no one reported serious injuries.
The three cafeteria employees didn't have to eat the spiked sauce to develop the symptoms, according to Kaplan. That's because it was no ordinary hot sauce, said Highland Park police Deputy Chief George Pfutzenreuter.
"I don't think you can find this one in the store. It sounds like this kid had to get it someplace special," he said of the Da Bomb brand sauce.
"It was just being near it," Kaplan said. Two students also reported symptoms but did not require a trip to the hospital, she added.
The district had bought a security surveillance system a few months ago and was choosing locations for the cameras, Kaplan said.
"We decided, based upon that incident, that we'll go ahead and install cameras in the cafeteria where the incident occurred," Kaplan said.
The prankster was identified by the school and disciplined, but Kaplan declined to elaborate, citing privacy concerns.
Pfutzenreuter said the 17-year-old is expected to be referred to juvenile court this week on five counts of misdemeanor battery. The student told authorities it was meant as a prank, he added.
The Da Bomb website features videos of sweaty and doubled-over reactions to ingesting a spoonful of its various sauces, as well as this line: "They look and smell perfectly innocent. But when they explode on your taste buds, in your throat, and deep down in your stomach and bowels, you'll know you're in a war."
I have this hot sauce and it's a lot like Daves Ultimate Insanity, dark brown and absolutely painful to consume. The last time I had it was in a pot of chili that it ruined. You guys think criminal charges is too harsh on this one?
