The Super Bowl parade shooting in Kansas City is raising concerns about protecting large events in Boston.
We've dealt with more than our fair share of championship rallies in Boston — originally holding them on City Hall Plaza, but obviously that puts a large crowd in a very tight space.
When the New England Patriots won the Super Bowl in 2004, the police commissioner at the time decided to shift the celebration to a rolling rally. That way fans weren't stuffed into City Hall Plaza. They were more spread out and constantly moving.
Retired FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael Tabman worked in Kansas City and said there's always an inherent danger with events like this, bringing a million people together in a wide-open location.
Get New England news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NECN newsletters.
"Unfortunately, in that type of open environment, where people are just allowed to come and gather, it's not going to stop people from coming in with a weapon concealed, there's no way to stop that," said Tabman. "The only way to try to prevent it, and nothing's foolproof of course, is to cordon off the area, blockades and search everybody as they come in. And of course, that's not foolproof, there's always people outside the perimeter, but at least if you search people coming in, you hopefully will catch all weapons."
Law enforcement officials are constantly learning from past tragedies — like the marathon bombings more than a decade ago — and they're constantly adjusting their safety plans.
As one might imagine, they will look at what happened in Kansas City, as they prepare for our next major event in Boston: the St. Patrick's Day parade.
