BOSTON (CBS) — Fenway Park played host Sunday to a multi-agency counterterrorism exercise that included simulated explosions and gunfire.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030’s Karyn Regal said the drill sounded and looked real, with reports of active shooters and bombs, bomb-sniffing dogs called to the scene, and people running from the park with hands in the air. Those fake victims filling the ballpark Sunday were volunteers. Many had fake blood smeared on their faces or limbs to make the scene look and feel as real as possible.
An @bostonpolice #terror drill at #FENWAY today. Hundreds of volunteers came to act as victims @bostonpolice pic.twitter.com/ejGHtVb2YV
— KarynRegal (@Karynregal) June 12, 2016
Boston Police Commissioner William Evans said the drill was a necessary one.
“Heaven forbid something happens and unfortunately I think we’ve seen that last night, early this morning in Orlando, just what everyone’s role is in how we’re going to respond,” said Evans. “This is about neutralizing threats that can hurt a ballpark like this or hurt any open door, large crowd event.”
Director of Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Patrick Carrick said one thing authorities tested Sunday was software.
“[They are] Software programs that were developed by Homeland Security and others in order to be able to model how crowds behave in large venues such as this, both for entrance purposes and rapid exit purposes, when there’s a situation like this,” Carrick said.
Boston police &Homeland security conduct training of active shooter, terrorist &other threats @ Fenway #wbz pic.twitter.com/VhIlnaavXe
— Paul Burton (@PaulWBZ) June 12, 2016
Commissioner Evans praised the volunteers, and said he was amazed–but thankful–that anyone would be willing to give up such a nice Sunday to be “terrorized.”
WBZ NewsRadio 1030’s Karyn Regal reports