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Six students were hospitalized after a prankster deployed an intense "fart spray" at Caney Creek High School in Texas, according to a post shared on the Caney Creek Fire & Rescue squad's Facebook account last Friday (May 5).
The student responsible for the incident confessed two days after local authorities launched an investigation into the reports of "a smell of gas" at the school.
“A student confessed to bringing a highly concentrated, prank, stink spray called Hensgaukt Fart Spray,” Caney Creek Fire & Rescue said.
The odor was initially detected last Wednesday (May 3), which led to students being evacuated. First responders had spent three days searching the building, which included using gas detection equipment, but were unable to locate any suspected gas leaks.
Students initially returned to class last Thursday (May 4) despite the odor still reeking throughout the school. Six students were reported to be hospitalized after suffering headaches from the smell upon returning to school, while eight others said they'd fallen ill, Caney Creek Fire Chief Raymond Flannelly told KHOU 11.
The school was forced to shut down classes for the rest of the week despite the building being deemed by fire officials to have a safe air quality. The prankster confessed on Friday, acknowledging that the object used was a toy that "creates a smell like real poo and fake vomit."
School administrators believe the student wasn't acting alone in the prank. Caney Creek High School Principal Jeff Stichler said the school district is working alongside the District Attorney's Office and plans to address the incident "to the fullest extent of the Student Code of Conduct and the laws of the State of Texas" in an email to parents obtained by PEOPLE.com.