From the grapevine:
Hello,
I am Roisin’s father. July 4th, Roisin and friends were in Dolores Park watching fireworks. Some stupid piece of shit 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.
I want this fucker. 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
What I Saw:
Chris,
So sorry to hear about Roisin’s tragic injury. I have no name but saw it happen. I live in the ‘hood and had never been to Dolores Park on the Fourth. I hear huge explosions all the time from my apartment and realized Tuesday night where they where coming from.
If any of this helps, here is my account:
I got off the 33 bus at the J church stop and walked up the hill by the tracks. Huge explosions where going off all over the park. I realized quickly that anyone below me was in potential grave danger. There was a no-man’s land above the bathrooms, with people randomly tossing and setting off huge fireworks. I saw a few go off from about 30 yards away and wouldn’t get any closer.
I saw a guy, average looking, white maybe brown skinned, with short dark hair, light something and hold it for a really long time. With a fuse that long, I speculated that it was one of the round fireworks you put in a tube to shoot high up. Why the hell was he holding it? He finally tossed it into the no man’s land (he was standing on the 19th st. side of the bathroom, past it up the hill) and tossed too hard. Guess he was excited. I saw the bomb bounce through the empty space and into the crowd down there (they where too close). It went off and screams started. A guy, I guess a friend or boyfriend of Roisin, raged and ran into the empty space ready to kill the guy. I didn’t see where the tosser went to.
The firetruck and ambulance soon showed up. Huge explosions like that one randomly continued all over the park. Then, when people started running out of fireworks, the SFPD showed up and drove around the park.
I do think that it was an accident. The fuse was too long and the firework was thrown too hard. I bounced several times before going into the crowd. There where also a lot of drunk people there and no rules. One couple where setting off huge fireworks in a small 20 foot circle elsewhere. Hundreds of people where around them. Chaos, alcohol (I was stone sober), ordnance, and “patriotism” equals a lethal cocktail.
I don’t think I could identify the tosser. I was too far away and it was dark. I saw no discerning features in the soft light. I could tell you where he was standing, maybe the exact same spot. What caught my eye was the long burning fuse. It burned for about 5 seconds before he threw it.
Again my sincerest sympathy and regards towards your daughter, a victim of an unfortunate, tragic accident. I hope she recovers soon and continues to follow her musical passions.
Sincerely,
Russell H.
San Francisco