8-year-old pepper sprayed by Colorado cops

Second grader Aidan Elliot was accosted with pepper spray by police officers and school officials when he acted out in class.

While Aidan has been known to act out, he is a student with special needs and is in a specialized class. However, the response of school officials to use pepper spray, the same substance used on criminals and in hunting, against such a young child has angered many. When Aidan acted out in school he was placed in a corner and his mother called, but before she could get there police handcuffed and pepper sprayed him.“I was angry. I didn't understand. I was on my way….Why didn't they talk to him. He was red, handcuffed, crying, screaming how much it burned," said Mandy Elliot, Aidan’s mother. School officials claimed that although the child was eight years old and in the corner they feared for their safety. They said he threatened to kill them. How an 8-year-old could do such a thing against a team of educators remains elusive.Aidan's mother told ABC’s Good Morning America that her son never behaves violently outside of school.“I think there is a problem, but it's with school and Aidan," Elliot said. "It only happens at school. It doesn't happen at soccer. It doesn't happen at swimming. It doesn't happen with babysitters, with family members."The family is filing an official complaint against local police for their actions, saying they opted to use aggressive force without speaking with Aidan or looking into what might be causing him to be upset."I think they should have approached him, tried to talk to him, even if it was from a distance. You talk to him and you find out what it is that's bothering him as well. You don't just walk in, ask him to stop and then spray," his mother said. A police spokesperson claimed the actions were justified, arguing that no one went home injured. Aidan’s burning eyes however beg to differ.