[heartbroken]

I would like to extend my deepest condolensces to the family of Natasha Derby, who was murdered at a Bashment rave last Friday evening in Wycombe.

I didnt really know Tasha that well, I met her off this very website back in November 2000 and travelled up to Wycombe to meet her. People may consider this strange, maybe even bizarre. Looking back on it, its hard to believe even now.

Tasha had the most incredible singing voice, it would havehadto be heard to be appreciated. Having taken her number she told me she dabbled in singing, so I asked her to sing to me down the phone. My heart skipped a beat when I heard her sing "Say My Name" by Destiny's Child and I knew I had to meet this person. She had the voice of an angel. Infact I would say she had the voice of an angel and the eyes of a princess!

Things didn't work out between us, and me being the young foolish pig headed muppet that I occassionally was as a youngster (this was 4 years ago remember) I deleted the number when I realised that things werent going to develop between us. It probably turned into one of my biggest regrets. I had been going through a few issues in my life and I guess I met Tasha at the wrong time. What hurts now is that looking back I realised that she too had some issues too. Infact even though I only spent about 4 hours with her on a Sunday evening in November 2000, she told me extensively about some of the problems in her personal life.Infact it was weired because we both shared intimate secrets from our personal lives, which made it all the more bizarrethat we were to go our seperate ways so soon after.

As I said I regret not taking the time to get to know her better because from the short time I knew her, it was obviousshe was a very sweet person. I remember our 'date' very well because while in Wycombe there was a thunder storm and my precious Nike Umbrella turned inside out and broke. Tasha didnt laugh or mock me, instead she gave me her own so that I wouldnt get wet on the way back to North London. If only I was more mature then, I would have realised that this was someone you dont meet everyday. Instead I acted the fool and decided it wasnt worth the trouble if she werent 'letting off', as I called it back then.

I always thought I would hear about Tasha again one day, I used to tune into the Pop Idol shows to see if she finally got a big break. Never in my wildest dreams could I have expected to hear about in these circumstances. When I first heard that a young black girl had been shot in Wycombe, I remember saying to someone at the time "I used to know someone in Wycombe". Then more and more came out after she died, such as the fact she lived at the YMCA, which was where I actually met her. The bombshell which greeted me this lunchtime when I saw her face in the news was of utter devestation and shock. I couldn't believe that this young sweet talented individual had met such a miserable and horrible end.

Since me and Tasha went our seperate ways in early 2001 I had a long hard look at myself and semi-regained my christian faith. Im not here to preach, but I hope that if there is a God, then he is looking after Tasha because her voice and her sincerity was too immaculate for us mere mortals on earth.

Rest In Peace Tash

[TANYA16]

@heartbroken....very sorry to hear your story....it is a sad thing to care for someone and have them taken away in such a bissarre (spelling) way, I hope you pull through ok.It is truly tragic to know someone and realise you ain't gonna see them again.

My nephew was shot in the chest by his friend... whom he use to visit and take lunch to while he was in prison, and shortly after he came out he murdered him, just for laughing at another person's joke which he the friend did not find it funny.

Begging and pleading did not save him, some people are just evil and cold not worth your friendship....as they say you cannot befriend evil....evil is evil

[*$HaNnY_Bu*]

IM SO SORRY! IT SEEMS YOU REALLY LIKED HER! MAY I JUST ASK YOU THIS. DO YOU THINK YOU LOVED HER?! WHEN I HEARD IT ON THE NEWS I THOUGHT " WHAT AN AWFUL THING TO DO" AND " WHAT AN AWFUL END TO SOMEONES LIFE". blktears

[heartbroken]

no no shanny, I wouldn't say I loved her or anything like that, I mean I barely knew the girl afterall. We only really spoke for a very short time, about a month before we met and then briefly after. I just regret the way things ended up between us because she was a nice person and probably didn't need my added tantrums in her already complicated life.

It just feels like such a waste...a talented young female with her life barely begun. I remember when I met her I told her she should pursue her dreams to be a singer. Its ironic because one of my good friends has recently just broken through and its so wonderful to see something back after so many years of trying. Hes a bit older than her and it just seems a pointless waste because she was taken away before she had the opportunity to express her talents.

[lilthuggy]

I'm very sorry to hear about this. May Tasha Rest in Peace.blktears

[songbird]

@Heartbroken, I am really sorry to hear about your loss and my thoughts are with you and Natasha's friends andfamily. Its always hard to know what to say when someone has a bereavement. I think its really important that you made this post and I have the utmost respect for you for taking the time to pay tribute to Natasha in this forum. I have been following the story in the mediaand i heardquotes from people saying this seems so tragic and senseless and what a genuinely nice person she was.

Forgive me if you think I am talking too much, but Idon't think you shouldharbour guilt (not sure if that's the rightword)about how you were toward Natasha during your brief friendship. I believe that people come in to your life at various times to show you things to help you to grow and learn things about yourself. Even though your paths crossed for such a short time she has obviously made a strong impact on you and you have said that she has made you face up to certain aspects of your personality and now you are thinking about your faith and spirituality. I think that is great and maybe you will positively impact others lives they way Natashaimpacted yours.

Peace.

[JONHNCROW234]

It is sad indeed.:?

[heartbroken]

well wherever she is shes in a better place. This world is horrible and this country is a disgrace! If gun crime was a predominantly white problem then the govt would have tackled the problem years ago. Its been a disease eating away at our society for ages but everybody pretends it is not happening. Think back 18 months and you had the case of the two females murdered outside a hair salon in Aston by the Burger Bar Crew. It made front page news and caused outrage throughout Britain. Since then there has been numerous shootings and murders, so much so that in places like Nottingham (or should that be Shottingham?)it appears that civilisation has gone backwards to the law of the gun with an increase in vigilante judicial lawlessness. A middle aged couple were executed near the seaside resort of Skegness and now a young female has been murdered in a sleepy Tory Town like Wycombe. Whats going on? When will the govt wake up and do something about this problem?

I respect the work of groups like Trident because it was about time a taskforce was set up to tackle the issues. When I lived in North London I remember well the gun culture which was growing which has now expanded to almost every corner of the UK. I remember the string of shootings which renamed the area between Hackney and Tottenham as the 'murder mile'. Trident has done well to penetrate the black community and alienate those who use firearms to settle conflicts, but it is unrealistic to expect that because a few faces are now off the streets that the overiding culture has been eradicated. The only way for the gun culture to be challenged is by making it virtually impossible to risk being caught with one. 15 years without parole sounds about right. Sounds harsh? Well think about it. What purpose does anybody have for illegally carrying a firearm? Is it for everyday use in their line of work? A pastime? Or just to ruin or end lives?

A 15 year mandatory sentence for illegally possessing a firearm would be an adequate deterant against the menace that is gun crime. At the moment the courts simply pay lip service to current legislation which means that some people convicted of firearm offences receive little more than two or three years which for the severity of the offence is laughable!

The more and more that comes out about this tragic case the more and more it seems that Tasha was killed for no apparent reason. She had no known enemies and wasn't involved in criminal activities. It makes her passing all the more poignant and serves as a reminder to us all that gun crime doesn't necessarily involve 'people who had it coming'.

Anyone who was at the Multi-Racial Centre on the evening of the shooting or anyone who may have been near to the centre in the early hours of Saturday morning is urged to call DCI Taylor on 08458 505 505 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

[Record Breaking Gunners]

agree about the change in perceptions, news coverage on this has been very brief. Saw a bit in the Sun and on a search in google only this came up

http://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news...526270.0.0.php

seems as though everyone just treats it like just another day

Heartbroken Wrote:"I remember the string of shootings which renamed the area between Hackney and Tottenham as the 'murder mile'.".........I agree with all U say especially as Brixton/Camberwell/Peckham/Kennington in South London 1 Mile Radius is also known as "The Murder Mile"....15 years ?...Why Not?....For anybody....

[CashMoney]

I think I know what happpened

Judging by her physical appearance( very preety indeed) she must hav been dancing, man try to push up against her, she rejected him, he took exception to that, draw for the gun, the rest is history......

The reason i think this is because my friend told me of a siimilar incident in ministry where some man pushed a broken bottle into the face of a woman who wouldnt let him have a dance. ****ed up innit

[Record Breaking Gunners]

how can someoneget glassed in ministry? I have been smoove a few times and I been frisked more than at Heathrow Airportcoming back from Dam...security is meant to be extra

If that was along the lines of what happened then thats poor. But not as poor as the fact that 150 people were there in the place but only 10 people have come forward.

And people wonder why gun crime is growing: because nobody is prepared to stand up to the bullies

[Andy Taylor]

I am the police officer investigating the death of Natasha and would like to express my sympathy with Heartbroken and all those who knew and loved Natasha. It truly was a dreadful crime and a tragic waste of a young life. I agree with the comments about the lack of media coverage but have received a great deal of support from the 'local' media, Natasha's family and the community as we try to find those responsible for her death. If you know anything about her shooting please contact us - Natasha.help@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk If you feel you can'tcontact thepolice then please ring crimestoppers on 0800 555111 - Thank you - Andy