Montgomery County Public Schools is setting the record tonight about initial statements that “pepper balls” were fired at a large group of students who were fighting after last Friday night’s football game at James Hubert Blake High School.

It comes as a number of school systems around the area tighten security at football games.

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“As we understand it, police used what is called a pepper ball device, but they didn’t actually fire pepper balls from the device,” said MCPS spokesperson Chris Cram. “They used it to make a sound — what they’re calling ‘air pops,’ and that actually was effective in breaking up that crowd.”

The incident allegedly involved students from three schools — the two schools playing and students from

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