1 dead in Sox celebration

[thehatfield]

.

College student dies after being injured in a crowd following last night's Red Sox game

By Boston.com And Associated Press | October 21, 2004

A 21-year-old Emerson College student has died as a result of injuries sustained during last night's celebration on Lansdowne Street after the Red Sox defeated the Yankees. Earlier reports said that the student was hit by a "bean-bag" bullet fired by Boston police as they struggled to control the unruly crowds.

ADVERTISEMENT

The student had been taken to Brigham and Women's Hospital after being injured on Lansdowne Street, where hundreds of fans had gathered to celebrate the Red Sox victory over the Yankees.

Brigham & Women's Hospital identified the young woman as Victoria Snelgrove of East Bridgewater. The hospital said she died at 12:50 p.m. today.

Boston police launched an immediate, intense investigation in an effort to determine how she was injured and whether the bullet had been fired by an officer.

"One factor that is being investigated is whether her injuries were sustained in any way during crowd control measures," said Suffolk District Attorney spokesman David Procopio. "That has not been confirmed or determined yet. The facts and circumstances of her injuries are the subject of an extremely active investigation at this point."

Sixteen people were reported injured as Boston police had to use what they describe as "less-than-lethal force'' to control rowdy fans.

Mayor Thomas Menino told the news media this morning that he was considering banning the serving of liquor in bars in the Fenway Park area once any World Series game gets underway.

He also said he was considering banning still and television cameras from inside bars in the Fenway Park area during games because he felt they contributed to inciting the crowds, mostly young people. He described what had happened as "'senseless''.

Over a thousand police officers had to be pressed into service to break up the crowds.

Television news reports from the scene showed one SUV on fire, youths throwing waste barrels and others items at buildings and signs. Some fans climbed on roofs and there were reports of fans falling to street after trying to climb up onto Fenway's Green Monster. Others were shown climbing street signs.

WCVB-TV reported that police had estimated between 60,000 and 80,000 people had converged on the Kenmore Square-Fenway Park area and most appeared to be students.

WCVB newscasts showed police with riot gear and dogs working to break up the crowds jamming the streets and sidewalks.

Boston police reported eight arrests in the neighborhood, most for disorderly conduct though one arrest was reported for assault and battery on a police officer. Sixteen people were injured, one seriously, a police spokeswoman said. One of those injured was a police officer, but his injuries were not severe, Beverly Ford said.

[AnotherAlias]

That's sad. I can't believe that the cops had to shoot bean bag bullets.

Beantown must have really gone crazy last night.

[matskralc]

What a bunch of classy fans!!!11

[SoxWin]

Originally Posted by matskralc

What a bunch of classy fans!!!11

Who? The cops shooting bean bags at people?

[blackamus]

Thanks cops, without your help people may have been injured or even killed, or even worse, property may have been damaged.

[AnotherAlias]

Originally Posted by blackamus

people may have been injured or even killed,

I think this article states that someone did die. You might want to read it.

Article

[marioh]

You'd think that the way they celebrated up there that they finally had won the World Series.

[Luis_Rivera]

Originally Posted by Purple Cowboy

.

I grew up in Bridgewater, MA. One of my friends from East Bridgewater called me today and said an Emerson College student that grew up in Bridgewater was dead but they didn't have a name.

This is tragic... but thanks to PC for posting... it's a little bit of a relief because I have a friend a year below me who goes there.

[Anachronism]

Originally Posted by blackamus

Thanks cops, without your help people may have been injured or even killed, or even worse, property may have been damaged.

Oh yes.... it would be MUCH better to let an unruly crowd smash windows and overturn cars.... I know if I lived in an area being hit by a mob I'd MUCH rather have the police stand by and do nothing while my car burned and my store was looted....

Fact remains... if they acted responsibly in the first place, the police wouldn't have been in the position requiring the use of the bean bags...

[rem]

Originally Posted by Anachronism

Fact remains... if they acted responsibly in the first place, the police wouldn't have been in the position requiring the use of the bean bags...

Agreed.

[Skipaway]

It's the curse!

[sixto]

People are always talking about "the worst way to go," and there are a damn lot of candidates. But for me, getting killed during a sport-induced riot for the winning team has got to be in the top 5.

Other top 5 candidates

1. choking on your own vomit after a night of drinking
2. drowning trying to save someone from drowning
3. jumping off the World Trade Center because it was too hot inside the building
4. getting electrocuted on a sewer grate while walking your dog

[Dagrims]

Originally Posted by AnotherAlias

That's sad. I can't believe that the cops had to shoot bean bag bullets.

They should have let Wakefield throw them, preventing a senseless death.

[Anachronism]

Originally Posted by Dagrims

They should have let Wakefield throw them, preventing a senseless death.

No.... that would never work... the idea is that the bean bags HIT the perp, or at the very least installs some kind of fear of being hit....

[jazzrack]

I have never uderstood why after winning something fans go out and destroy their town. It just makes no sense

[Luis_Rivera]

Boston PD is now accepting responsibility for the death of this girl:

BOSTON -- A 21-year-old college student died Thursday of a head injury after a clash between police and a crowd of Red Sox fans celebrating their team's victory over the New York Yankees in the streets outside Fenway Park.

Victoria Snelgrove, a journalism major at Emerson College, was shot in the eye by a projectile fired by an officer on crowd-control duty. The nature of the projectile was not immediately identified but the weapons are meant to be non-lethal.

During a news conference carried live on local television stations, Boston Police Commissioner Kathleen O'Toole expressed the department's sympathies to Snelgrove's family and said the agency "accepts full responsibility for the death of Victoria Snelgrove."

"The Boston Police Department is devastated by this tragedy. This terrible event should never have happened," O'Toole said.

Snelgrove was among 16 people hurt in Boston's Kenmore Square neighborhood early Thursday morning, after thousands of fans took to the streets to celebrate the Red Sox winning the American League pennant. She died at Brigham and Women's Hospital later in the day.

"It appears from evidence we have reviewed thus far that Tori was killed when she was hit in the eye by a projectile fired as officers tried to control mobs outside the ballpark," O'Toole said. "Designated officers were equipped with less-lethal systems that use projectiles designed to break upon impact, dousing the target with (pepper-like) spray."

O'Toole and Mayor Thomas Menino pledged to fully investigate the incident.

Snelgrove's father, Rick Snelgrove, expressed outrage and said his daughter did nothing wrong. Standing outside the family home in Bridgewater, he held up a photograph of his smiling daughter.

Boston Mayor Thomas Menino (back) and police commissioner Kathleen O'Toole have vowed thorough investigations into Victoria Snelgrove's death.

"What happened to her should not happen to any American citizen going to any type of game, no matter what," he said. "She loved the Red Sox. She went in to celebrate with friends. She was a bystander. She was out of the way, but she still got shot. Awful things happen to good people. My daughter was an exceptional person."

A police officer was among the others injured in the melee, but none of the other injuries were severe.

City officials announced there would be a heavy police presence in Kenmore Square after they were caught understaffed when riots broke out when the New England Patriots won the Super Bowl on Feb. 1.

In the Super Bowl aftermath, a 21-year-old man visiting his brother at Northeastern University was killed and a Northeastern student was critically injured when a vehicle plowed into a crowd of revelers.

The new Boston Police Command Center has been in use as the Red Sox advanced through the playoffs. Inside, police watch views from 50 cameras around the city as they coordinate with several agencies, including State Police, the Boston Fire Department and even some college police forces. It was first used during the Democratic National Convention in July. The cameras were installed on top of the ballpark and other locations.

Early Thursday morning, several small fires were set, fireworks shot into the sky, a trash can was thrown at a fast-food restaurant sign and numerous fights broke out. Boston police reported eight arrests, mostly for disorderly conduct, though one arrest was for assault and battery on a police officer.

Snelgrove transferred to Emerson from Fitchburg State College a year ago and was a junior majoring in broadcast journalism, said her academic adviser, Janet Kolodzy.

A memorial service was being planned and grief counselors would be on hand to help students deal with Snelgrove's death, Rosen said.

Ironically... the girl who called me yesterday to tell me someone from my town died, in case I knew the person was pretty good friends with this girl in HS...

It's a shame but it's things like this that will keep me out of Boston the night they finally win it (whether it's this year or another year).

[thehatfield]

That is so sad. Just reading her dad's words is pretty rough.

Despite this, though, I'm still making the trek up (this year, and/or when they do finally win it all) and do plan to be out and about. I figure that whatever happens, it will be something that I will never forget for the rest of my life.

[andjbock]

Menino has given thought to banning alcohol sales at the Kenmore bars in light of what happened. Don't think it will happen, but I'm sure it would curb a lot of overactive activity. Just for the record I in no way condone the banning of alcohol near any sporting event. But I can also control myself when drinking.

[Jason]

I just read a report that said video of the woman killed shows the area she was in had no rioting or out of control fans. I feel so bad for her family.