At Least 4 Injured When Bees Attack At Pasadena Graduation Ceremony

PASADENA (CBSLA.com) — There's nothing like a swarm of bees to completely put a damper on a graduation ceremony.

A swarm of them interrupted Sierra Madre Middle School's ceremony, being held at Pasadena High School, around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Three adults and a 7-year-old boy were stung repeatedly and treated by paramedics. Dozens more were possibly stung, according to witnesses, but officials confirm that only four people were treated. No one had an allergic reaction or needed to be taken to the hospital.

A hive situated just outside the campus auditorium, in a utility vault, became defensive as hundreds of people filed in for the graduation ceremony.

"It was actually pretty scary because I thought they were going to sting me. I'm allergic, so I could have went to the hospital," student Yanelly Munoz said. "There were actually a whole bunch of bees on my dress and I tried to shake them off. They were bees in my hair, and I tried to get them off. And everybody just ran inside."

Firefighters doused the bees with foam to calm them down before a bee keeper was called to dismantle the hive.

Despite the chaos, the ceremony continued as planned.

A bee keeper said "because of the drought, the bees are more defensive, and easily aggravated," according to Pasadena Fire Department spokesperson Lisa Derderian.

Officials said it could have been worse. Fortunately, these were European and not Africanized bees, which are typically more aggressive.