KOOP Fire Set By Disgruntled Volunteer ... Over a Playlist?
24-year-old Paul Webster Feinstein posted occasional music reviews to the KOOP website, and assisted with getting music loaded into the station's digital library. According to KOOP-FM executive director Kim McCarson in a statement issued today, Feinstein left in December under what seemed to have been good terms, except for an ominous "disagreement with another programmer regarding the specific music" that had been installed in the library.
"The idea that something as minor as a dispute over what music to put in our digital library could possibly trigger someone to set fire to our radio station is unfathomable," stated Andrew Dickens, KOOP President.
Whether Feinstein's motivation for setting a fire that caused over $300,000 in damages truly stemmed from an absurd disagreement over playlists remains to be determined. He now faces up to twenty years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted.
Read McCarson's full statement, after the jump.
"The arrest of Mr. Feinstein has come as a great shock and disappointment to KOOP Radio. Mr. Feinstein had joined KOOP in 2006 as volunteer. In November, 2007 he announced that he would be leaving KOOP to pursue other opportunities. He completed his last show and ceased being an active volunteer in December 2007. During his time at KOOP, he was well-liked by and was friends with several programmers. Even after he left KOOP, he had planned social outings with his friends from the station. His decision to leave was voluntary."The KOOP community feels great shock and confusion following this news.
"The motive for the attack is not understood. When he was a volunteer, one of Mr. Feinstein's responsibilities was to help programmers load music onto the station's digital library. It has come to light that there was a disagreement with another programmer regarding the specific music loaded onto this system. It is not clear how or if that disagreement between volunteers escalated. It is unknown if events in Mr. Feinstein's personal life, his health, or his emotional state contributed."
