BOSTON (AP) – Boston police said Saturday they are giving up the pepper-spray gun that killed a college student during a rowdy Red Sox celebration, switching to a weapon that fires the pellets at a lower velocity.

In a brief news conference outside Fenway Park about an hour before Game One of the World Series between the Red Sox and the St. Louis Cardinals, police said pellets fired by the new weapons will make less of an impact than those shot by the guns used earlier this week by officers.

The new weapon to be used is a Jaycor, while the previous weapon was an FN303, a compressed-air gun made by FN Herstal.

Earlier this week, tens of thousands of fans poured into the streets around the stadium Wednesday night and early Thursday morning to celebrate the Red Sox win over the New York Yankees that sent Boston to its first World Series since 1986. Some revelers set small fires, threw bottles at police and vandalized property.

Police officers fired pepper-spray pellets into a crowd, hitting 21-year-old Emerson College student Victoria Snelgrove, of East Bridgewater, in the eye. She died later Thursday at a hospital.

“It was very unfortunate, what happened a few days ago,” said Lt. Kevin Foley of the Boston Police Department. “We’re stepping down the weaponry while we continue to investigate what happened.”

Snelgrove’s death sparked outrage about police tactics and led the mayor and bar owners to reach an agreement on restrictions to try to keep fans from getting out of control.

“We’re asking people to act responsibly,” Foley said. “But if you’re not, you’re going to be arrested.”

Police reported no arrests at the start of the game, when thousands of fans had already gathered outside Fenway Park, crowding surrounding bars.

Bar owners around the park agreed to not allow long lines to form outside, to keep a closer eye on how much patrons drink, and to not allow television stations to film patrons inside – so fans don’t get rowdy playing to the cameras.

Police said Saturday patrols will be beefed up in the area around Fenway Park during the World Series.

Police wouldn’t specify how many officers will be on duty, but said it has increased the force by “hundreds,” pulling in officers from around the Greater Boston area.

AP-ES-10-23-04 2133EDT