On one of the slowest news days in the world of sports, one Philadelphia Phillies fan by the name of Steve Consalvi decided to make it interesting.
During last night's Phillies-Cardinals game, the 17-year old decided that he would run out onto the field and try to allude police officers. For most of his jaunt, he did until an armed police officer decided to drop him with a taser gun.
Consalvi was eventually fine and got up under his own power but one of the questions that have been brought up by this incident is whether or not a taser should be used to disrupt unruly fans.
In my personal opinion, it seems that there are certain times and locations for the taser to be used such as a flashmob or an unruly fan who might injure others before being subdued not being used on a 17-year old kid.
However, Consalvi knew the risks of running out onto the field and should deal with the consequences of it. At all Major League Baseball games, fans are warned if they come out onto the field that they are subject to arrest and use of force. This isn't a scenario where a fan was accidentally tasered for no real reason, he ran out onto the field and did so knowingly. When you resist arrest from a police officer, it's up to the police officer's judgment then.
Should the officer have used better judgment? Most likely, since Consalvi is just a 17-year old fan wearing Phillies memorabilia instead of some shady suspect that might have a bomb or other device to cause injury to others. However, it's tough to know who is a risk to others and who isn't. In our uncertain world, anyone can be viewed as a threat regardless of appearance.
Consalvi called his father before doing the act and his father tried to talk his son out of it. When someone has the judgment to call an authority figure and they tell them what not to do, he should be punished. Consalvi spent a night in jail and was released with juvenile charges of resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and defiant trespass.
Maybe this might be the warning salvo to all MLB fans who think it might be a brilliant idea to run out onto the field and try to gain their fifteen minutes of fame. It's a bad idea and criminal charges will be pressed against regardless of the intent of the act.
Consalvi will be attending Penn State in the fall and we will wish him well on attending that fine university but hopefully this will be not only be a lesson learned but also a slap across the face that actions have consequences regardless of the intent.
(Some information used in this article is from The Philadelphia Inquirer)
Sorry Phillie Fan, You Should Have Gotten Tased
