Students Death Raises Concerns about Weapons Essay -- Journalism Viol

Students Death Raises Concerns about WeaponsBrett Schweinberg, a 19-year-old Emerson student and Brookline resident, never imagined that a nighttime int finised for so much celebration in Boston could end so tragically.Schweinberg was one of an estimated 80,000 revelers who flooded the streets of Kenmore Square and the Fenway Park neighborhood in the early hours of Oct. 21, following the Boston Red Soxs ALCS victory over the New York Yankees.It was really a happy, fun, cheering crowd, Schweinberg said. It was a Mardi Gras parade with no route and no floats. It wasnt a violent affair, and it certainly wasnt a riot.However, the vibrant atmosphere quickly dissipated when members of the BPD, some attach on horseback and some armed with less-lethal FN-303 launchers, took action to quell and beam the crowd. Schweinberg, who was watching the crowd from the beams of Fenway Parks left field wall, uphold two injuries when he was hit with pellets from the compressed air rifle. Far worsened for Schweinberg, however, was witnessing fellow Emerson student and journalism major, 21-year-old Victoria Snelgrove, suffer a fateful wound to the eye shortly thereafter. She dropped to the ground like a apprize of potatoes. She started bleeding profusely out of the face, Schweinberg said. Several hours later, Snelgrove was pronounced dead at Brigham and Womens Hospital. Her tragic death has cast a wave of censure on the BPDs decision to use one of the newest less-lethal technologies a ordnance the BPD had never apply in a field situation on a mostly college-aged crowd. The FN-303s were purchased by the BPD last summer for the specific innovation of controlling potential protests at the Democratic National Conven... ...joined together to produce The Campaign to Ban Less-Lethal Weapons and circulate a petition with the goal of conveyance of title a ban within the city. The petition states that First, these branchs must be re-classified as lethal. This is not only accurate, but it ensures that these weapons are used only in situations that would otherwise justify the use of lethal force.Other conditions stated in the petition include independent testing for all weapons and additional cultivation for law enforcement officials according to weapon manufacturer specifications. However, Terrill thinks there is little orifice that the FN-303 will be used by the BPD again. In a city stung by one incident, regardless of what the science or explore shows afterwards, city officials are usually very reluctant to use that weapon or permit a public policy where it would be used again.