An Atlanta parent is accused of pepper-spraying a crowd of high school students after they reportedly jumped her son as she dropped him off at school, WSB-TV reports.
Shawanda Favors was apprehended by the Atlanta Public Schools Police Department and charged with inappropriate conduct after authorities say she pepper-sprayed the students during the fight, which broke out at New Schools at Carver.
"The parent was apprehended by the Atlanta Public Schools Police Department and charged for her inappropriate conduct. Four students were treated and one student was transported to the hospital. The campus has resumed normal operations. The APS Police Department is investigating this matter," Atlanta Public Schools said in a statement.
According to the report, some students said they did not blame the mother for her actions.
“She was just trying to defend her son. They were really assaulting him; she did what she had to do,” one student said, according to the news station.
And that's what Favors told WSB-TV she was trying to do.
“I was just scared for my kids’ life. I didn’t think they were safe anymore,” Favors told the news station.
According to the report, when Favors arrived at the school to drop her sons off, the same students with whom the boys had had some sort of altercation last week began attacking them again.
When the fight didn't break up, she pulled out her pepper spray, authorities said. Favors told the station that she believes she would not have had to do what she did if officers had been nearby.
"[Officers were there], they were just on the other side. It took them too long to get over there,” Favors said.
The school district said that officers responded immediately to stop others from becoming involved.
Nonetheless, Favors' 17-year-old son said that he was glad his mother stepped in on his behalf.
“’Cause she broke the fight up. If she wasn’t out there, that fight could have been going on for hours,” he told the news station.
Favors said that she would do the same thing again if she had to. She entered a not guilty plea in court.