Police use pepper spray on second grader

10:07 PM, Apr 4, 2011 

LAKEWOOD - When most kids throw a temper tantrum, they get time out. In 8-year-old Aidan's case, he got pepper sprayed.

A Lakewood Police report details the second grader's violent temper tantrum in a classroom at Glennon Heights Elementary on Feb. 22.

According to the report, Aidan "was climbing the cart and spitting at teachers. He also broke wood trim off the walls and was trying to stab teachers with it."

"I wanted to make something sharp if they came out because I was so mad at them," Aidan said. "I was going to try to whack them with it."

The report goes on to say Aidan, "was holding what looked like a sharpened one foot stick and he screamed, 'Get away from me you f---ers.'"

Lakewood Police officers ordered the 8-year-old to "drop the stick." When he refused, they sprayed him with pepper spray twice until he dropped the piece of wood and was handcuffed.

According to the police report, the boy was later treated on the scene for "a red, irritated face."

Aidan's mother Mandy, whose last name 9NEWS has chosen not to disclose, believes the Lakewood Police officers should have handled the situation differently. She says police were called on her son at school twice before, and both times the officers were able to talk to her son and calm him down.

"I'm sure what he was doing wasn't right, but he's 8 years old," Mandy said. "They walked in, asked him to drop the stick, and then sprayed him with the spray... I think it's excessive."

Lakewood Police spokesman Steve Davis defended the officers' decision to use pepper spray on the boy, calling it the safest option considering the circumstances.

"You've got teachers barricading themselves in a room. They are obviously frightened," Davis said. "I think they not only made the right choice, they made a great choice that day to use the pepper spray."

Aidan was placed on a "mental health hold" and was transferred to a school for children with behavioral issues.

His mother says Aidan is seeing a doctor, but has not been diagnosed with any mental illness and is not currently on any medication.

"It's hard," Mandy said. "Do you listen to what the teachers tell you? Or do you listen to your child?"

Aidan admitted he has problems controlling his anger.

"Just kind of like whenever anybody upsets me," he said. "Like I just kind of want to tear them apart... I think it's not ever going to go away... It's just who I am."

LINK TO VIDEO:

http://www.9news.com/video/default.aspx?bctid=886553059001