Pepper spray was used at Josey High School on Thursday in an incident in which two students were arrested and many bystanders had residual effects from the spray.

The incident occurred at 12:54 p.m. after a school safety officer told a student to do something, said school safety Lt. Richard Roundtree. He wasn't sure what the directive involved. The lieutenant said the student, whose name wasn't made public because of his age, then became combative with the officer, causing the need for another officer to get involved.

He said the student had to be restrained and pepper spray had to be used. At that point, Lt. Roundtree said, an 18-year-old female student confronted officers by screaming at them and refusing to go to class. Lt. Roundtree said the pepper spray affected about 20 to 25 students, and school nurses on the scene assisted. He said there were no serious injuries.

The female student, he said, was arrested on disorderly conduct and taken to the Richmond County jail. Booking records identified her as Tiara D. Harris, of the 2000 block of Leona Street. The male student was charged with two felony counts of obstruction of a law enforcement officer and a count of disruption of schools. He said the student was ultimately released to his parents.

Lt. Roundtree said the 18-year-old will have her case processed through Magistrate Court and the male student will go through the Juvenile Court system. He said further discipline will be up to the school's principal.