Earlier this month, a terrible automotive accident in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside resulted in serious injuries, including the loss of an eye, to pedestrian Desiree Evancio. Details are still somewhat under wraps, but it has been confirmed that Minneapolis punk group Off With Their Heads were involved in the accident in some capacity. Now, the band's frontman Ryan Young has shared a statement about the incident.
Posting on the band's Facebook page, he explained that all of the band's shows will be cancelled for the foreseeable future following the incident, which occurred after their set at Vancouver's SBC Restaurant on Hastings Street on October 12.
"I've been wanting to speak to this and being silent has been extremely difficult," Young wrote. "We've always used our band to try and help people and to find out that anyone was hurt involving my band in any way was absolutely crushing."
Young added that he will "be focusing on a plan to do my part to contribute to Desiree's recovery." He also encouraged fans to donate to Evancio's GoFundMe page, which was set up to help her recover from her injuries.
"I've spent the better part of the 16 years this band has been around trying to do good for people who struggle," he wrote. "Each show was a strange sort of therapy session for not only the crowd, but also myself. I was inside, like any normal night, packing gear, about to go hang with friends, then everything changed, I was told there was an accident. Everything that followed was devastation and heartbreak."
Read Young's full statement from the Off With Their Heads account below.
The 24-year-old Evancio was dragged by a van and trailer for five city blocks, sustaining life-altering injuries in the process. In addition to losing an eye, she suffered a shattered jaw, numerous broken bones and permanent damage to her limbs. She now faces extreme and expensive reconstructive surgeries that will take years to complete.
According to a report from police last week, surveillance video suggests that Desiree stepped between the trailer and the van while it was stopped in traffic and ended up getting stuck.
Desiree's GoFundMe has since surpassed $200,000, with a goal of $1 million. You can donate here.
Posting on the band's Facebook page, he explained that all of the band's shows will be cancelled for the foreseeable future following the incident, which occurred after their set at Vancouver's SBC Restaurant on Hastings Street on October 12.
"I've been wanting to speak to this and being silent has been extremely difficult," Young wrote. "We've always used our band to try and help people and to find out that anyone was hurt involving my band in any way was absolutely crushing."
Young added that he will "be focusing on a plan to do my part to contribute to Desiree's recovery." He also encouraged fans to donate to Evancio's GoFundMe page, which was set up to help her recover from her injuries.
"I've spent the better part of the 16 years this band has been around trying to do good for people who struggle," he wrote. "Each show was a strange sort of therapy session for not only the crowd, but also myself. I was inside, like any normal night, packing gear, about to go hang with friends, then everything changed, I was told there was an accident. Everything that followed was devastation and heartbreak."
Read Young's full statement from the Off With Their Heads account below.
The 24-year-old Evancio was dragged by a van and trailer for five city blocks, sustaining life-altering injuries in the process. In addition to losing an eye, she suffered a shattered jaw, numerous broken bones and permanent damage to her limbs. She now faces extreme and expensive reconstructive surgeries that will take years to complete.
According to a report from police last week, surveillance video suggests that Desiree stepped between the trailer and the van while it was stopped in traffic and ended up getting stuck.
Desiree's GoFundMe has since surpassed $200,000, with a goal of $1 million. You can donate here.
