Overview of the Boston College Tear Gas Incident

When someone comes forward and accepts the responsibilities of their crimes, what benefit do they get in return? Is the loss of a comfortable lifestyle and a prison term too expensive to offset the peace of mind that comes with acknowledging the consequences of a crime committed almost 20 years ago that led to a police officer's death?

One evening in the fall of 1988 someone threw a tear gas grenade in the hallway of a nine-floor dormitory at Boston College. The powerful, military-grade tear gas quickly flowed into the building's air conditioning system, forcing 800 students to evacuate. Twenty-four students, five Boston College Police Officers and two Boston Firefighters were taken to the hospital.

To some the incident was just a sophomoric and dangerous prank - like a false fire alarm except with the added inconvenience of the smoky tear gas. To authorities it was a serious matter, and an official arson investigation was launched. However little evidence was produced; the tear gas canister had been stolen from a military depot, and a description of a possible suspect: a young man with a "military style hair cut." The suspect was never identified, although some people wonder if the perpetrator was a Boston College student. In the almost twenty years since then he hasn't come forward to admit to his crime.

Boston College police officer Thomas Devlin had been one of the first emergency responders to enter the building. The military-grade teargas caused burns on more than sixty percent of his lungs. He spent the next 19 years fighting viral lung infections, and died in 2007. In 2008 his name was added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial as a law enforcement officer who had died as a direct and proximate result of a personal injury sustained in the line of duty

Boston College is considered a leading Catholic university in the United States. Demographically its 140,000 alumni are financially well off compared to most Americans. The university's billion-dollar endowment speaks to how the alumni are fiercely loyal to the school, its Catholic tradition and each other. It troubles some alumni that there may be one of their own who, while may have only intended a disruptive prank, caused the death of police officer, has never had the courage to come forward and acknowledge the consequences of their actions. In a community where so many find reconciliation to be one of the 7 tenants of their faith, they wonder why he has not done so.