Valentine's candy may have made nearly two dozen Atlanta kids sick

Nearly two dozen children from Atlanta were rushed to the hospital on Valentine's Day, and officials think holiday candy is to blame.

At least 21 children experienced shortness of breath and other symptoms about 3 p.m at Sandtown Middle School, officials said.

"They ate something that caused some kind of reaction. It wasn't anything life-threatening," South Fulton Fire Department Deputy Chief Jack Butler told NBC News. "Once you get that many kids suffering the same thing, you have to figure out what's going on."

Fulton County School police are investigating, but Butler had his guess.

"Something in the candy," he said. "I'm sure it's something along that line."

The middle school was not evacuated or put into lockdown, Fulton County schools spokeswoman Susan Romanick said.