Fans exposed to tear gas at Humana

Tear gas from a training session at Lake Cahuillaspills onto part of the Nicklaus Private Course causing several spectators to seek treatment.

La Quinta Police report approximately fifteen spectators of the golf tournament and a La Quinta Police Officer reported the smell of an airborne irritant at the 2nd tee area of the Nicklaus Private Course at about 1:45 on Saturday.

Officers who responded from inside the event to investigate the source of the irritant, quickly learned tear gas training was being conducted by College of the Desert’s Public Safety Academy (COD-PSA) at the nearby Lake Cahuilla Park Firearm Range.

La Quinta Police reports the COD-PSA faculty was conducting the tear gas training as a part of the routine curriculum required of one of their offered California Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) Certified Reserve Peace Officer training modules. COD-PSA faculty were contacted and informed of the circumstances. No further deployment of tear gas was conducted.

One person was examined and treated with oxygen by paramedics, who were also working public safety positions at the event.

All people reporting slight exposure to the effects of tear gas residue in the air did not suffer any injuries that required transport to the hospital.

Play during the Humana Golf Tournament was not affected.