Students need to exercise caution when celebrating

The death of Victoria Snelgrove, a 21-year-old Emerson journalism student, in the aftermath of the final game of the Red Sox and Yankees playoff series serves as an unsettling reminder of how much control is lost in a mob situation despite the efforts of authority.A projectile fired by police to control crowds outside of Fenway Park Wednesday is believed to have killed Snelgrove. She was among 16 injured in the celebratory atmosphere following Game 7. The Police Commissioner of Boston, Kathleen O'Toole, said that the police would take full responsibility for the death of Snelgrove.

However, this is little solace to Snelgrove's family. Apologies cannot reverse the deed that was done, nor can they bring their daughter back. An acknowledgment of fault is crucial to the healing process, but it does not excuse the action.

It is scary to think that something similar could have occurred at the University of Rhode Island. Just last year, police were overmatched by an unexpected mass of students that were beyond their control following Red Sox playoff wins.

In such a chaotic situation, it only takes one thing to cause a tragedy. As evidenced by an incident that struck closer to home for the URI community, an argument between students led to a death earlier this year.

The valedictorian of Fairfield University died when tempers got out of control during a Newport pub crawl last year. He was shoved into the street and killed by a bus. This occurred shortly before graduation, and like the Red Sox win, should have been associated with a positive experience of students uniting.

URI has taken steps to minimize the risks created by these celebrations. Police presence has been significantly increased, student organizations have thrown events meant to decrease the reliance upon drinking and campus leaders have united to keep the peace following games.

Although a police projectile struck Snelgrove, it is wrong to place the blame solely on the Boston Police Department. They did not create the situation. However, it can be questioned whether the crowd needed to be suppressed, or if police were adequately trained to handle a mob situation.

Students should keep in mind how fragile life can be when they chose to go out and celebrate. Even if you are not doing anything wrong, the tension in such a high-energy situation can lead others to make foolish decisions. Simply put, your health and your life are not worth a baseball game.