I just read this on ESPN.com, this is truely a tragedy, and kind of overshadows the boston win, and really puts the whole "yankee red sox" thing into perspective...

BOSTON (AP) -- A 21-year-old college student died Thursday of a head injury after a clash between police and a crowd of Red Sox fans who poured into the streets outside Fenway Park to celebrate their team's victory over the New York Yankees.

Victoria Snelgrove, a journalism major at Emerson College in Boston, 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, of East Bridgewater, was among 16 people hurt in Boston's Kenmore Square neighborhood early Thursday morning, after thousands of fans spilled out onto 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 equiped 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, he held up a photograph of his smiling daughter.

"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.

Menino said the city will prosecute others if possible.

"We will take responsibility for what happened," the mayor said. "We also will move on the hoodlums who were out in the streets of our city."

Emerson College spokesman David Rosen said the school is devastated.

"I'm sure the police and the city will conduct a full investigation, but at the end of the day, it doesn't matter how it happened," he said. "It's a great personal tragedy for this individual, her family and her many friends here at the college. We'll mourn her death no matter how it happened."

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.

Our thoughts and prayers should be with this young girl's family

that's awful

probably the only family in the Boston area that now wishes the Sox would have lost

That's terrible.

R.I.P.


awful story...

There was another death that someone I know witnessed. Someone who was extremely drunk and trying to get away from the cops and fell 40 feet onto his head or something. I don't know any major details. May not have even happened. *shrug*

That sucks.

I saw this pic and thought it happened at Yankee Stadium last nigt, but it was outside fenway.

Can't imagine what'll happen if they win it all.

This is why I watch the important games by myself

Along with the porn?

Thats terrible. I wonder what the city will do for this girls family

2 tix to Game 1 of WS most likely.

Terrible but expected.

Reminds me of that time when ... what was it, the Knicks beat the Bulls? Some idiot fired a gun in celebration and hit someone.

I'm sorry, and yes, I feel sorry for this girl, but this story isn't saying what was going on in the streets of Boston. That crowd was acting like a bunch of animals, tearing down signs, tipping cars over, one car was lit on fire and burned. This girl was part of this crowd, whether being destructive herself or not. This wasn't just a crowd of people yelling "woohoo, we won!!!", and the incident happened well over an hour after the game was over. The officer in question fired this mace thing after people began throwing bottles and other objects at the horses the officers were riding on.


If you stand with a crowd of destructive drunken freaks throwing bottles at police, you risk getting injured, by either the police or the crowd. End of story.

I agree to a certain extent, this girl got caught up in the mob/celebretory mentality. It doesn't make it any less sad though.

I could never understand rioting as a reaction to winning a championship.

i take a healthy dump. for three years the lakers had me shitting pretty good

The Boston Police Department "accepts full responsibility" for the death of a 21-year-old college student killed by a police projectile fired to disperse crowds celebrating the Boston Red Sox victory over the New York Yankees.

Preliminary findings indicate that Victoria Snelgrove, a journalism student at Emerson College, was hit in the eye by a projectile that disperses pepper spray on impact, Boston Police Commissioner Kathleen O'Toole said Thursday.

Snelgrove died at 12:50 p.m. at Brigham and Women's Hospital, hours after the overnight melee.

"The Boston Police Department is devastated by this tragedy. This terrible event should never have happened," O'Toole told reporters. "The Boston Police Department accepts full responsibility for the death of Victoria Snelgrove."

Outside the family home in East Bridgewater, Rick Snelgrove clutched a photograph of his daughter and said, "Awful things happen to good people, and my daughter was an exceptional person."

"What happened to her should not happen to any American citizen," he told reporters, fighting back tears. "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."

Police have said some 60,000 to 80,000 people took to the streets in the area around Fenway Park late Wednesday. Although most were simply celebrating the 10-3 victory that thrust the Red Sox into the World Series for the first time since 1986, some in the crowd vandalized property, set fires and tried to overturn cars. At least eight people were arrested.

However, video from the scene where Snelgrove was struck showed the crowd in a joyous mood, slapping high fives and chanting celebratory Red Sox slogans. There were no signs of near-riotous conditions in that immediate vicinity although the area was crowded, and dozens of people near her stopped celebrating when they realized the severity of her injury and they tried to get help.

Snelgrove was sprawled out on the ground, with blood running down her face.

"This day, which should have been one of celebration, is heartbreakingly tragic," O'Toole said. "I can't imagine the grief that her family is suffering and express my deepest sympathy to them."

She said the officers involved were "devastated" and have been placed on leave pursuant to department policy. Their names will not be not disclosed until they are interviewed by investigators, she said.

O'Toole said she "firmly and emphatically" accepted responsibility for any errors officers may have made. But she condemned the "punks" she said turned a celebration of the pennant victory into a near-riot.

"The dreadful irony is that the use of less-lethal weapons is designed to reduce the risk of fatal injury," O'Toole said.

Snelgrove was a junior majoring in journalism at Emerson College, a small, four-year communications and performing arts college in Boston, said school spokesman David Rosen. She had transferred to the school last spring and was to turn 22 next week.

Rosen said Snelgrove's family was at her side when she died.



This just makes it worse. It's just so wrong when the police overreact. This aint the fucking 60's. You just don't resort to this shit when people gather around. If things get out of hand I understand the police using some of this riot equipment but I don't think it was necessary in this case. A young girl dies because of stupidity. So fucking wrong

He deserved to get punched in the mouth for wearing a hoodie and a suit coat.

The stupid girl in the picture should get that dumbass scarf ripped off her neck so it gives her neckburn. The hand over her face is so annoying......i hope it was to cover her awful breath