Drummer's career ended by someone's stupidity...

[hawk9290]

While browsing around on the internet on another forum, I came across this snippet. Its really ashame that there are some people in the world who would do such a thing. These people, if worthy the term, need to be found and punished. Anything like this that happens really sucks, especially for a drummer or musician.

And fourstring, you may want to get in touch with the girl as well.

Body: This is terrible...any of us who have suffered a debilitating injury that has kept us from our art, knows how disastrous and PAINFUL this is, on so many levels. If you can help, please do.

SF Drummer loses hand at delores park...Roisin Isner, drummer for the San Francisco band Tinkture lost her hand in Dolores Park last night watching the fireworks. Her dad sent the email below to some local media outlets.


Subject: Roisin Isner, Tinkture drummer

Hello,
I am Roisin's father. July 4th, Roisin and friends were in Dolores Park watching fireworks. Some ****** threw an M60 at them. It landed on Roisin's right hand and blew it apart. She will undego surgery later this morning but it doesn't look good. Most likely she will lose her index finger; second and third fingers will also be permanently impaired and disfigured. Needless to say, her musical career is over. *********. Media attention will help flush him out. People know who did it and I'm offering $20,000 for a name. Please do whatever is necessary to get the story out. Do so and I will reward you as well.

Thank you,

Chris Isner
chrisisner@hotmail.com

[jayp]

Wow that is horrible I feel deeply for that girl and her father for that matter.

I've had incidents that ive come close to slicing my finger or hurting my hand in some way and since since those incidents as a drummer I take extra extra care of my hands and feet and my whole body for that matter, I think "what if I become disabled and cant play" all the time and hearing this story knowing that some idiot with a firework ended someones musical dream and passion is disturbing and I hope that they receive the punishment they deserve.

[That Guy]

Man, give me 5 minutes alone with the guy who did that. That is so sad. I hope he is found.

[Deathmetalconga]

How sickening. I hope the catch the jerk that did this. Just awful.

Also, this drummer's career is not necessarily ended. Compromised, damaged and made more difficult certainly, but people with even worse disabilities have successfully drummed. Not to downplay the seriousness of it, but she will be able to play again someday - but it will never, ever be the same.

[ECVail]

I hate to say it, but this sounds like a pretty typical Internet hoax.

If the story is true then it is vile and unforgiveable - makes you miss the old "eye for an eye" (Hammurabi's Code) version of justice.

Still, I think a more reputable source is needed before working ourselves into a DW version of a lynch mob. AND here it is:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...GHNQRD8849.DTL

Looks like it comes from the San Francisco Chronicle.

In that case - I truly hope they are able to find this person and prosecute them to the full extent of the law.

[Drumms]

Originally Posted by ECVail

I hate to say it, but this sounds like a pretty typical Internet hoax.

I hate to say it, but I thought about this as well.

Anyway, you can't imagine how I feel sorry for that girl. But I don't think the "eye for an eye" principle is a solution. It won't heal her hand and will cause even more trouble to the family.

Try to look on things from different angles. Who knows, maybe the guy didn't intend to do it, maybe it was an accident?

[ECVail]

Originally Posted by Drumms

But I don't think the "eye for an eye" principle is a solution.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating taking the offending party's hand. My comment was more a knee-jerk reaction to someone's livelyhood being severly impaired through the carelessness of another. In the end of my post I expressed hope that this person would be prosecuted through lawful channels.

I do wonder sometimes though if the deterrence factor of the "eye for an eye" theory would make some folks stop and think about committing careless/foolish acts that result in tragic accidents like this one.

Originally Posted by hawk9290

While browsing around on the internet on another forum, I came across this snippet. Its really ashame that there are some people in the world who would do such a thing. These people, if worthy the term, need to be found and punished. Anything like this that happens really sucks, especially for a drummer or musician.

And fourstring, you may want to get in touch with the girl as well.

Thanks for posting this. It is a horrible tragedy. How people could be so stupid is beyond me. I actually read about it a few hours ago from a MySpace bulletin that a drummer on my site had posted. I already sent her dad an email. Hopefully he gets it and her music career doesn't end.

I hope they find these people and soon.

[T.Underhill]

Updated story w/ pic. She's definitely losing a finger. What a horrible situation. This won't keep her down though!
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...GC4QSFKQ14.DTL

[jazzin']

Oh Christ! This is simply awful. Of all the things that could have happened....

Truly an artists worst nightmare come true to have their creative implements ruined beyond repair. Hopefully this situation is not beyond repair.

It really baffles the mind to think how some people can be so simple minded and unthinking. To run around a park throwing fireworks, of all things godamn fireworks, laughing with idiot mates about scaring people having no thought that fireworks are actually small explosives with the ability to do serious damage!!!??? Why not just run around throwing knives around the park to see how close you can get to people...? I can understand kids having fun with fireworks and the old cliche of 'boys will be boys', no doubt it was some idiot male, but throwing fireworks!? Argh...

I hope Roisin comes through with her spirit intact and the will to keep playing through what I can only imagine being such an awful situation. I'm sure she will be stronger for it one day. It sounds as though the community there has really rallied behind her which is great to hear. I'm sure there is also a ton of support from musicians across the globe, as evidenced from this board, which will also hopefully help her along.

I also hope this knocks some brains into thought and meditation for what those stupid kids did...and hopefully one of his/doubtfully her friends is a money hungry prick and decides to rag on him for some cash.
I'm sure it was done with no real serious harm intended, although these days it really is hard to say there being so much hate everywhere, and it was as a silly prank to scare some girls, but man, what a stupid prank! Then again no one can be so moronic as to not understand that throwing fireworks at someone is going to do some pretty full on damage if it hits them.

Originally Posted by T.Underhill

Updated story w/ pic. She's definitely losing a finger. What a horrible situation. This won't keep her down though!
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...GC4QSFKQ14.DTL

Thanks for posting that. It's good to know that she has the determination to keep on going.

[Norske]

This is truly an enormously sad story. I am a member of the Mapex drummers' forum, Center Stage M, and I am going to post it there immediately. As horrible as this is, it is something that we should pass along and make people aware of in the hopes that others can help her situation.

[hawk9290]

i've seen it pop up on nearly every drum forum, so i am glad that people are considerate enough to help so much.

I put this up on the front page of my site and sent it out on my mailing list, hopefully it helps.

I agree that if it was just an accident, the person should be held responsible. I'm trying to process how it could have been an accident anyway. How do you "accidentally" throw an M80 at someone?

[DogBreath]

I actually read about this on Rob's site before I saw this thread here. I'm going to try to get in touch with Roisin's dad and ask if there is anything that I can do to help. Maybe he has a fund for her medical care.

[Drumms]

Originally Posted by fourstringdrums

I agree that if it was just an accident, the person should be held responsible. I'm trying to process how it could have been an accident anyway. How do you "accidentally" throw an M80 at someone?

In any case the person must be held responsible. At least for owning and operating an illegal firework (especially in a public place).

I agree that there's probably no way of accidentially throwing a firework on someone.

[dale w miller]

here's something i found on another site.

From the office of Jeremy Danger.

A lot of people have sent me messages regarding Roisin Isner and and the incident in Delores park on the fourth. Here is the skinny:

About 9:45 we were watching the fireworks on the north side center of the park buy the restroom. Behind us on the south side of the path directly above the restroom by the green container dead in the center of the park. There was a group of people maybe twenty or so people most looked like San Jose kids. They were lighting off fireworks all illegal lots of rockets and lots of m60’s.

From where I was standing I could not see the city fireworks well. So I turned around to watch the fireworks this group was shooting off. I saw the guy who threw the bomb that blew apart the hand of Roisin Isner.

Here is his description:
18 to 25, 5’10 – 6’, 180 lbs, olive skin (don’t know race and he had no accent), he had a smooth face like he was younger with a “chocolate milk mustache” IE: like a kid the doesn’t have to shave yet very light and thin mustache. Dark colored shirt, blue jeans, curly black hair sticking out from under an Oakland A’s cap.

Here is the important part! The hat is very distinct. It is an alternate A’s hat so it is black with a green A’S symbol. What makes this hat even more distinct is it also had a welt that was green too. A welt is a tube of fabric sewn into the seams.
I can’t find a photo of this exact hat, but I did find a photo of one like it. Imagine it with green lines on all the triangle seems of the hat.

Here is what you must do! Look at all of the photos that you took that day. See if you can see someone with that description look into the background of your photos and or video.

If you have any info about this case you need to call:
Sergeant Fabbri @ 416 850 6615 he is the detective working on this case.
And / or email Chris Isner chrisisner@hotmail.com

[bballdrummer34]

I think about that kinda stuff everyday. I'm almost afraid to go outside because of it. Everything scares me, sports, cracks in the ground, anything that could take a limb away. O and let me get a room and about an HOUR with the guy, you won't know who he was.

Originally Posted by Drumms

In any case the person must be held responsible. At least for owning and operating an illegal firework (especially in a public place).

I agree that there's probably no way of accidentially throwing a firework on someone.

Yeah I accidentally omitted a word. I meant to say that Even if it was an accident, they should still be held responsible. I agree 100%.

[Norske]

Latest update from the San Francisco Chronicle:

San Francisco police arrested a 17-year-old boy Wednesday on charges of throwing fireworks at Dolores Park on July 4, the day a 17-year-old girl was maimed by a fireworks explosion.

The boy faces four counts of discharging dangerous fireworks and one count of discharging fireworks that caused property damage in and around the Mission District park. Police said there was insufficient evidence to charge him in connection with the explosion that hurt Roisin Isner, the drummer of a local band, Tinkture. The boy, however, remains a person of interest in that case, police said.

Isner has been at San Francisco General Hospital since July 4, recovering from the amputation of her right index finger.

She was at Dolores Park on the night of July 4 watching the city's fireworks display from a hill with a friend when an errant firework went off near her right hand.

"It exploded and changed everything," Isner said in an earlier interview. "I'm 17, and I've had to make a decision about which fingers to keep."

Police said they were led to the suspect as they investigated the maiming of Isner.

Police ask anyone with information regarding the case to contact the Special Investigations Division at (415) 553-1133.

Originally Posted by Norske

Latest update from the San Francisco Chronicle:

San Francisco police arrested a 17-year-old boy Wednesday on charges of throwing fireworks at Dolores Park on July 4, the day a 17-year-old girl was maimed by a fireworks explosion.

The boy faces four counts of discharging dangerous fireworks and one count of discharging fireworks that caused property damage in and around the Mission District park. Police said there was insufficient evidence to charge him in connection with the explosion that hurt Roisin Isner, the drummer of a local band, Tinkture. The boy, however, remains a person of interest in that case, police said.

Isner has been at San Francisco General Hospital since July 4, recovering from the amputation of her right index finger.

She was at Dolores Park on the night of July 4 watching the city's fireworks display from a hill with a friend when an errant firework went off near her right hand.

"It exploded and changed everything," Isner said in an earlier interview. "I'm 17, and I've had to make a decision about which fingers to keep."

Police said they were led to the suspect as they investigated the maiming of Isner.

Police ask anyone with information regarding the case to contact the Special Investigations Division at (415) 553-1133.

This is hopefully the kid who did this to Roisin. I'm glad that they have a suspect, and hopefully if it's NOT him, and just another stupid kid who was throwing fireworks, that maybe he can give some information on who did.

Oh and if I could ask that if anyone gets any information, to post it here so that I can put it up on my website. I have a special page setup specifically for any information until an arrest is made, and about any fundraisers or other help that she may need.

[Norske]

For all those may be interested, Roisin Isner is now out of the hospital, but a long way from being able to play the drums again. The good news however is that she has not faltered in her determination to play again down the road.

I wanted to share an email I received from Chris Isner this evening. Chris is Roisin's father.

"Hi Curt,

I've been busy chasing bad guys. Roisin is doing great, out of the hospital
yesterday. she still has more surgeries scheduled and a long road to use of
her hand but she's determined to pick up the sticks asap. hopefully she'll
be good to go to the benefit gig tomorrow night at the Hemlock Tavern in SF,
7-10pm. PUNK. one little prick is in custody and up on felony assault
charges but he isn't the guy who did it. can't say much but the guy who did
is known. check out the explosion on the video I located for the cops, it's
massive (that's my daughter you hear screaming).

CI"

Please feel free to post this new information anywhere you see fit. The video he is referring to has been posted widely on the internet, but if anyone wants to see a copy just let me know.

~Norske~

Originally Posted by Norske

For all those may be interested, Roisin Isner is now out of the hospital, but a long way from being able to play the drums again. The good news however is that she has not faltered in her determination to play again down the road.

I wanted to share an email I received from Chris Isner this evening. Chris is Roisin's father.

"Hi Curt,

I've been busy chasing bad guys. Roisin is doing great, out of the hospital
yesterday. she still has more surgeries scheduled and a long road to use of
her hand but she's determined to pick up the sticks asap. hopefully she'll
be good to go to the benefit gig tomorrow night at the Hemlock Tavern in SF,
7-10pm. PUNK. one little prick is in custody and up on felony assault
charges but he isn't the guy who did it. can't say much but the guy who did
is known. check out the explosion on the video I located for the cops, it's
massive (that's my daughter you hear screaming).

CI"

Please feel free to post this new information anywhere you see fit. The video he is referring to has been posted widely on the internet, but if anyone wants to see a copy just let me know.

~Norske~

Thanks for posting the email. I may update it on my website if that's alright.

Seeing as you're in direct contact with her father, if you could, let him know that Rob Richard (that's me) from Handidrummed.com (disabled drummer's resource) contacted him shortly after the news about the accident first went out. I really want to make sure she hears about the website. I know it can help her get back into playing.

Thanks - Rob

[dale w miller]

as much as i feel bad for the girl, someone needs to teach her father about forgiveness.

[Norske]

Originally Posted by fourstringdrums

Thanks for posting the email. I may update it on my website if that's alright.

Seeing as you're in direct contact with her father, if you could, let him know that Rob Richard (that's me) from Handidrummed.com (disabled drummer's resource) contacted him shortly after the news about the accident first went out. I really want to make sure she hears about the website. I know it can help her get back into playing.

Thanks - Rob

Rob, I have sent Chris your information again. I sincerely hopes that Roisin gets in touch with you, as I'm sure you could help her.

[Norske]

Originally Posted by thefeckcampaign

as much as i feel bad for the girl, someone needs to teach her father about forgiveness.

I hear ya. I think it will take time for his anger to subside. I'm sure it is horrible for any father to have his daughter severely injured, and that was no doubt exacerbated by the fact that she was so badly injured by an act of sheer carelessness and disregard for human life. I've listened to the video that he provided and I can't even imagine how he felt when he actually heard this happen to her!

The upside to his anger is that he has been bitterly determined to find the culprit, and has been aiding the police in their investigation. Hopefully once they catch this person he will be able to put his anger aside and focus on helping her to move forward with her life.

[drum.lad]

Originally Posted by thefeckcampaign

as much as i feel bad for the girl, someone needs to teach her father about forgiveness.

her father is just angry which is understandable i would be if anyone harmed a member of my family.i really hope she gets back on the horse and continues playing

[Jon Cable]

I sent the family a message of support, if I can do anything else then let me know...

Originally Posted by thefeckcampaign

as much as i feel bad for the girl, someone needs to teach her father about forgiveness.

It's going to take time. The accident wasn't even a month ago. I assume you don't have kids so it's hard for you to understand but that's his baby and all he knows right now is that her life has changed because of the stupid actions of one person. She is going to go through a pretty big change and alot of pain for the moment, and it's just hard for him to see her like that. In time he may be able to forgive, but it's not going to be overnight. I think first they'd have to find who is responsible so he can have some closure and hopefully some answers, then the forgiveness process can start possibly.

[rjvsmb]

Originally Posted by thefeckcampaign

as much as i feel bad for the girl, someone needs to teach her father about forgiveness.

FORGIVENESS???

I'll have to chew on that one for a while.

I am pulling for Roisin. She will find a way to play again.

Take care,
rjvsmb

[That Guy]

Originally Posted by fourstringdrums

I think first they'd have to find who is responsible so he can have some closure and hopefully some answers, then the forgiveness process can start possibly.

Exactly. I could only imagine if that happened to my daughter, I would be just as active in this campaign against the convict.

Originally Posted by That Guy

Exactly. I could only imagine if that happened to my daughter, I would be just as active in this campaign against the convict.

Yeah. I don't have kids, but if I did and something like this happened to one of them, it would take alittle more than 2 weeks for me to start forgiving, especially if I didn't know who did it.

[That Guy]

Originally Posted by fourstringdrums

especially if I didn't know who did it.

That would drive me insane! I know myself well enough to know that I wouldn't be able to sleep until the perp was in police custody. Still... I would have a hard time waiting to hear on the bond hearing... then, waiting for the court hearings. Man, I shudder at the thought.

[Mendozart]

Forgiveness will come in time. Justice needs to be served now. You don't just let someone get away with a mindless act like that. The person who committed the act needs to pay (legally) for his/her actions.

[Ironcobra]

well i shoot roman candles at my friends, we have firework fights, but we are EXPECTING IT, not going around to innocent people and blowing up there hands. thats rediculous, if i knew this guy, i would shoot an air bomb up his arse while hes sleeping, maybe then he will get the message

Originally Posted by ironcobra

well i shoot roman candles at my friends, we have firework fights, but we are EXPECTING IT, not going around to innocent people and blowing up there hands. thats rediculous, if i knew this guy, i would shoot an air bomb up his arse while hes sleeping, maybe then he will get the message

Sorry but I think your show of concern is canceled out by your admitting that you purposely shoot fireworks at your friends. I don't care if you guys know it's coming, it's stupid. These things are how accidents like this happen. You may not do it to intentionally hurt each other, and you might know that it's coming, but it's unsafe, it's pointless, and all it does is further people doing stupid things like this because they see others doing it.

Why you wouldn't take a tragedy like this, look at your friends and say "We're never doing something like that with fireworks again" is beyond me.

[dale w miller]

Originally Posted by ironcobra

well i shoot roman candles at my friends, we have firework fights, but we are EXPECTING IT, not going around to innocent people and blowing up there hands. thats rediculous, if i knew this guy, i would shoot an air bomb up his arse while hes sleeping, maybe then he will get the message

i'm glad i wasn't friends with you at that young age. that's not a game i want to be playing nor is it something i would like to see people i care about playing. do you play russian roulette as well?

[Norske]

Old thread, but I received an update from Roisin's father late last week, and wanted to share that information with all of you.

From Chris Roisin's email:

The good news is that, despite one missing and two non-functional fingers, Roisin and Tinkture are back and will tour this month. Check out http://myspace.com/tinkture for details.

Also good news is we found out who maimed her. Turns out he is a gangbanger from Santa Monica who was throwing homemade bombs on July 4 (empty CO2 cartridges filled with explosives -- little shrapnel-throwing hand grenades...a miracle no one was killed).

Unbelievably bad news is that the police have informed me that there will be no arrest made in the case, even though it is a bombing investigation, even though they know who it is, even though there are reliable witnesses. The problem, I believe, is that the police are in San Francisco and the bomber is in Los Angeles and it's just too much trouble to properly investigate. So, the brass pulled the plug.

Chris goes on to explain more about how he has followed leads to investigate this terrible incident, and even names the person he believes is responsible, but I don't think that is relevant here. This is after all a drummer's forum, not a political or vigilante site, so out of respect for Drummer World, I am withholding that information. I have consulted DB on this, and sent him the entire message, and he agreed with the decision not to print the entire message, but I wanted to print enough to show that this was not an accident, and was not caused by an M80.

But the main thing to know is that she is back to drumming once again, after only 5 months, multiple surgeries, and a permanent disability. Nobody could take her passion to play away from her!

[Deathmetalconga]

Originally Posted by Norske

Old thread, but I received an update from Roisin's father late last week, and wanted to share that information with all of you.

From Chris Roisin's email:

The good news is that, despite one missing and two non-functional fingers, Roisin and Tinkture are back and will tour this month. Check out http://myspace.com/tinkture for details.

Also good news is we found out who maimed her. Turns out he is a gangbanger from Santa Monica who was throwing homemade bombs on July 4 (empty CO2 cartridges filled with explosives -- little shrapnel-throwing hand grenades...a miracle no one was killed).

Unbelievably bad news is that the police have informed me that there will be no arrest made in the case, even though it is a bombing investigation, even though they know who it is, even though there are reliable witnesses. The problem, I believe, is that the police are in San Francisco and the bomber is in Los Angeles and it's just too much trouble to properly investigate. So, the brass pulled the plug.

Chris goes on to explain more about how he has followed leads to investigate this terrible incident, and even names the person he believes is responsible, but I don't think that is relevant here. This is after all a drummer's forum, not a political or vigilante site, so out of respect for Drummer World, I am withholding that information. I have consulted DB on this, and sent him the entire message, and he agreed with the decision not to print the entire message, but I wanted to print enough to show that this was not an accident, and was not caused by an M80.

But the main thing to know is that she is back to drumming once again, after only 5 months, multiple surgeries, and a permanent disability. Nobody could take her passion to play away from her!

It's outrageous they wouldn't charge this person from another county. This is the United States - justice is blind to jurisdictional boundaries. He's just a few hundred miles away. One of their citizens was maimed and they don't want to bother with bringing the criminal to justice. They could do it if they really tried, but they don't care enough.