Police: Woman Sickened 6 People On Pitt Campus By Releasing Bear Spray

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A woman is facing charges after police say she sickened several people on the University of Pittsburgh campus by releasing a spray used to keep away bears.

The Hazmat incident happened around 12:40 p.m. Monday at the Eureka Building on Forbes Avenue.

According to the criminal complaint, 28-year-old Mary Siegert is facing charges of risking a catastrophe, simple assault and possessing a prohibited weapon.

Investigators say Siegert went into the Eureka Building, started asking questions about the Technology Center and left quickly. Witnesses told police they then saw the exterior door open, but no one came in.

Minutes later, first responders were called to the building when people inside began experiencing "difficulty breathing," with symptoms including coughing, watery eyes and throat irritation.

The building was evacuated, and ventilated.

Six people were treated at the scene. Police say their symptoms began to subside once they got outside in the fresh air. No one required hospital treatment.

Cornell Grigsby was on the first floor where it happened.

"Essentially, it was just this burning feeling in my chest and in my throat, and everyone else had the same symptoms, I guess," he said.

Meanwhile, officials used surveillance video to track down Siegert. The criminal complaint reports video caught her getting on a Port Authority bus at Fifth Avenue and Atwood Streets in Oakland.

Police say they tracked her to Fifth and Tennyson Avenues, where officers spotted her because she matched the description of the suspect.

They stopped Siegert and conducted a search. Police say she began to struggle, but eventually complied with the officers.

The criminal complaint says officers found an eight-ounce can of Grizzly Tough Bear Spray Counter Assault hidden in a ripped in-seam of the winter jacket she was wearing. They also found an unopened package of the spray in her backpack.

Siegert was taken into custody by University of Pittsburgh Police, and questioned. Investigators say she "admitted to carrying the Bear Spray," by said it "periodically goes off," and she may have "accidentally bumped" it.

No residue was found on her clothing.

"I, like, generally just consider it like senselessness, where, you know, someone came in, wasn't really in the right state of mind, in my opinion, and just decided to do something stupid," Grigsby said.

Siegert is being held in the Allegheny County Jail, unable to post $5,000 bond.