SYRACUSE, N.Y. — At Destiny USA, moviegoers rushed to nearby water fountains to wash off pepper spray exposure in a theater on Tuesday afternoon. Syracuse firefighters were called to Destiny USA around 1:04 p.m. for an odor/fume investigation after reports of people in a movie theater experiencing coughing due to an unknown substance.

Upon arrival, firefighters joined Syracuse Police officers to assess the situation. Approximately 40 people were in the theater, with 11 patients suffering from eye and respiratory irritation. They used water fountains for relief, and 10 of them did not need further care. One patient was taken by AMR to a local hospital for evaluation.

The injuries were determined to be from an accidental release of pepper spray in the theater. Firefighters ensured no further hazards using air monitoring equipment, and the affected theater was closed for cleaning.