Fan’s death raises questions about use of force by police

Boston mayor rejects alcohol ban

? The death of a college student from a pepper-spray-filled projectile sparked anger and questions Friday about whether police used too much force to break up rowdy Red Sox revelers outside Fenway Park.

The mayor said more police would be at neighborhood bars during the upcoming World Series to make sure fans did not get too drunk or rowdy, but he backed off his threat to ban alcohol in the area during the games.

Police Commissioner Kathleen O’Toole said police were considering discontinuing the use of the weaponry that killed Victoria Snelgrove as officers tried to contain an estimated 80,000 fans who poured into the area after the Red Sox victory on Wednesday at Yankee Stadium in New York.

O’Toole said the officers showed “great restraint,” but had to fire the projectiles after a few revelers set small fires and threw bottles at police and vandalized property, endangering others. Snelgrove, a 21-year-old Emerson College student, was hit in the eye and died hours later.

The plastic balls of pepper spray, which are propelled from devices similar to paintball guns, are meant to prevent serious injury as police agencies try to control large groups.

“We want to use the least force necessary in order to maintain the crowd,” O’Toole said. “Very unfortunately, it resulted in a horrible action.”

Mayor Thomas Menino decided against invoking a rarely used state law to ban the sale of alcohol “in cases of riot or great public excitement” after meeting with about two dozen bar and restaurant owners Friday.

Instead, the city and bar owners agreed to limit the number of people lining up to get inside Fenway-area clubs and to prevent live television coverage inside the bars so that patrons do not get rambunctious as they play to the cameras.