Emerson College student Victoria Snelgrove was caught in the crossfire as drunken Sox fanatics succumbed to hysteria Thursday night in Kenmore Square.
We are bowing our head now in sorrow over the death of Victoria Snelgrove, that beautiful young woman -- an Emerson College student studying towards a career in journalism -- mistakenly killed by a crowd-controlling policeman wielding a "non-lethal weapon" Thursday night during the post-game hysteria in Kenmore Square. What will Mike Barnicle make of it? The national and local Boston media gave a moment or two to the story -- they trotted out the devastated father, praised the local police for being up front about their error, anchors stopped grinning for a moment to say how "sad" it was -- and then moved on to the latest entertainment news. Collateral damage happens.
This horrific random death deserves more than an anonymous student's "fifteen minutes of fame." For us, it taints the Sox win beyond measure through no fault of theirs. Fans -- the short form of fanatics -- are to blame, or, more fundamentally, human nature. Was there a "Damn Sox" deal with the devil behind it? (Calm yourself. --ed) Life and the Series will -- and must -- go on. Meanwhile, here's the latest, from the Boston Herald re the circumstances that precipitated the unspeakable tragedy:
Rioting Red Sox revelers corraled and beset "outnumbered'' Boston police on horseback with firecrackers and flaming plastic bombs in the moments before an Emerson College coed was fatally wounded, a source told the Herald . . . And when special-ops cops tried to come to the rescue of their brethren astride 2,000-pound Clydesdale, Percheron and Shire mixed-breed steeds, they were beseiged, too, the source said.
"It was not a pretty scene,'' the source said. "It got to the point where (police) were under attack. It's just a wonder there weren't more serious injuries. People can't comprehend what it's like. The (officers) were outnumbered. What do you do with that many people?''
In the midst of the turmoil on Lansdowne Street, Emerson College student Victoria Snelgrove, 21, was shot dead when two unnamed patrolmen trying to control the crowd fired projectiles containing pepper spray, one of which struck Snelgrove in the left eye.
Mob dynamics are a terrifying thing. The current campaign hysteria comes to mind.
It is no wonder that you love cats.
Posted by: acjgoomp | October 23, 2004 at 09:43 AM
Why do some people seem to think that having their team win a sporting event gives them license for violent, anti-social behavior? What is wrong with those idiots?
Posted by: BarCodeKing | October 23, 2004 at 10:37 AM
Being ecstatic over winning is one thing. Destroying property and being totally disrespectful to the cops, riding a tree nearly to the ground all stinks of 5th grade boys!
When some behave like animals, innocents get hurt.
Because of their thoughtlessness, Victoria died needlessly.
Posted by: Carol Hoffman | October 30, 2004 at 02:32 AM