(Boston) Police Errors Led To (Red Sox) Fan's Death

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/05/25/national/main697738.shtml

An independent investigation into the shooting of a college student by Boston police found mistakes were made at every turn — starting with the department's decision to buy pepper-pellet guns for crowd control, and ending with the officer's decision to fire into an unruly crowd during chaotic Red Sox celebrations last fall.

Victoria Snelgrove, a 21-year-old Emerson College student, died hours after she was hit in the eye socket with the pepper-spray pellet outside Fenway Park.

"We find that inadequate planning and training, combined with a breakdown of command discipline, set up a situation ripe to produce an unintended result," read the findings released Wednesday by a commission headed by former U.S. Attorney Donald K. Stern.

<snip>

But the bad decisions that led to Snelgrove's death began months earlier, the Stern commission said, starting with the buying of the air-powered pellet guns in early 2004. Police officials did little research before making the purchase, then failed to properly train officers in how to use them, and under what conditions.

[chelsea0011]

1. Improper training? One kid was hit something like 17 times

including once in the face. He had the nastiest welts all over his body. I wonder if everytime this kid was hit, the police wondered if the guns were not working properly. Just keep firing because it appears nothing is happening. It's like the L.A. shooting. Fire 100 rounds and see what happens.

[wicket]

2. You are very missed Tory

:cry:

[indepat]

3. In an emerging police state with police-state tactics mushrooming,

what do you often get?

[The Donkey]

4. That whole incident cast a sad shadow

on one of the best days of my life . . .

[Moderator]

5. kick to combine

[NNN0LHI]

6. Panel: Police Errors Led to Student's Death at Red Sox Celebration

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGB8CQPD69E.html

BOSTON (AP) - A panel investigating the death of a woman hit by a pepper spray pellet at a Red Sox celebration said Wednesday that police made mistakes at every turn, from the department's decision to buy the pellet guns for crowd control to an officer's decision to fire the shot.

Five officers face internal disciplinary action for their involvement in the shooting, police Commissioner Kathleen O'Toole said as the independent commission's report was announced.

Victoria Snelgrove, 21, an Emerson College student, was shot in the eye Oct. 21 outside Fenway Park after Boston defeated the New York Yankees for the American League pennant. The city paid her family a $5.1 million settlement earlier this month.

"We find that inadequate planning and training, combined with a breakdown of command discipline, set up a situation ripe to produce an unintended result," read the report by the commission, headed by former U.S. Attorney Donald K. Stern.

[Is It Fascism Yet]

7. that's so sad. She was somebody's bright and beautiful daughter.

What Nazis we are supporting with our taxes. We need another Boston Tea Party.

[mark11727]

8. So much for "non-lethal" weapons...

[thecai]

9. Police Sure Make A LOT of Deadly Mistakes Nowadays!

Time for a "personnel change" and new training.

[Tesha]

10. They always have.

You're just hearing about a few of them these days.

Tesha