LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Safeway store was evacuated Sunday afternoon due to what officials believe may have been a release of pepper spray in the building.

Shortly before 3:30 p.m. fire and police units were dispatched to the store on 11th Street on the report of numerous people having trouble breathing.

Initial reports indicated that an unknown individual, or individuals, may have set off some kind of aerosol in the checkstand area.

Shortly after those first calls, radio reports indicated the store manager evacuated the building.

Lakeport Fire units requested mutual aid from Kelseyville Fire and Northshore Fire, and shortly afterward ordered a countywide strike team of ambulances due to concerns that they may have more than 20 patients.

Cal Fire was reported to be sending resources to assist with decontamination, with Lakeport Fire’s decontamination unit also on scene, according to reports over the air from Lakeport Fire Chief Doug Hutchison.

In addition to fire units, Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen and his officers responded to the incident and are conducting an investigation.

Just what had happened remained unclear at that that point, Rasmussen said.

“The initial information indicates a possible release of pepper spray,” he said.

Several people were affected, but he said most had denied any further medical care after getting some fresh air once outside of the store.

Brittany Faustino, a courtesy clerk at the store, was one of those who reported experiencing respiratory issues during the incident.

She said people were shopping and checking out, and then a couple of the store’s customers started coughing. “All of a sudden, out of nowhere, everybody just started choking.”

Faustino said nobody could breathe, and there was no real smell to whatever the substance was.

“I couldn't breathe. I was choking and coughing,” she said.

Faustino said nobody saw a can of any type.

Updated estimates from the scene stated that there were about eight people who firefighters had evaluated for respiratory issues.

Rasmussen said shortly before 4 p.m. that the store remained evacuated while the fire department tried to clear out the air in the building using fans.

He said at that time that the store would remain closed until further notice. The closure was expected to continue for at least another hour, with the vehicle entrance nearest the store from 11th Street blocked off.

Rasmussen asked people to please avoid the area while the emergency response was under way.

Additional update will be posted as information becomes available.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.