Pumpkin Fest Turns Into Riot

Police in southwestern New Hampshire used tear gas to disperse crowds of college students who turned the town of Keene's annual Pumpkin Festival into a riot Saturday. 

Now one could expect a riot at a rave or protest, but how can a pumpkin festival turn into a full fledged "Project X"? College officials provided few specifics on the melee but said Keene State students and out-of-town visitors were involved. The school said in a statement that off-campus gatherings had at locations around the city Friday, but had briefly calmed down before ramping up again Saturday afternoon.

Here's the answer for everything: "People were just throwing everything they could find -- rocks, skateboards, buckets, pumpkins," a bystander said. "People just got too drunk." The Pumpkin Festival has been held annually in Keene since 1991 and attracts people of all ages from all over the state and New England region.