News footage of the Milwaukee, Wis., home where a 99-year-old woman was attacked during a home invasion (WISN).
An elderly Wisconsin woman tried to call for help three times during a home invasion, and now two 911 dispatchers have been suspended.
According to reporting by local ABC affiliate WISN, an unnamed 99-year-old woman called for help at 5:15 a.m. on Monday using her Life Alert system. She was being attacked by a 22-year-old man she did not know, and he was heard on the calls making threats to "beat the s— out of [her]." But according to WISN's reporting, first responders were not called to the scene. The woman made a second call with her Life Alert system, but no one was sent.
Finally, when the woman called 911 directly, she explained that she was attacked and first responders were sent to her house. She had reportedly waited for almost three hours for help.
Local Fox affiliate WITI reported that it only took six minutes for Milwaukee firefighters to arrive at the woman's home following the third and final call. Police arrived 30 minutes after the call. The woman was taken to the hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries and was expected to survive.
Police arrested an unnamed 22-year-old suspect in connection with the home invasion.
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel had a more detailed timeline of events that stated the first two calls were made four minutes apart. The first call was given a "level three priority" and categorized as a welfare check, even though employees at Life Alert told 911 dispatchers it "sounds like a physical fight going on." The outlet reported that a battery in progress would have merited a "level two priority" and a more urgent response.
The second call, also placed through Life Alert, came in at 5:18 a.m. A Life Alert employee told 911 dispatcher he "believe[d] he heard a man say to a female that he was going to physically harm her," and the call was upgraded as a "threat," which also would signal an urgent response. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported that it was noted in writing that the suspect was still on the scene. But no one was sent to the woman's house.
Local media outlets obtained the 911 calls, during which the woman can be heard begging for her alleged assailant to stop while he told her, "I'm about to beat the s— out of you."
It was not until 7:51 a.m., when the woman called 911 directly and told dispatchers, "I've been attacked… A man came though the door and knocked me down, and came in the house. He must have been on drugs or something, I don't know." She added, "He was kicking me." The third call was given the third highest level of priority and first responders were immediately dispatched.
WISN spoke with Department of Emergency Communications Director Tony Bueno, who said an investigation was ongoing. Two 911 dispatchers were confirmed to be on paid administrative leave in connection with the incident.
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported that the Department of Emergency Communications was a fairly new organization staffed by civilians. Calls placed to 911 fall under the responsibility of the department, and the dispatchers refer the calls to the Milwaukee police and fire departments. The Milwaukee Police Department told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel that it responded once it got the call from the Department of Emergency Communications.
Bueno told the outlet that the police and fire departments still have access to 911 calls, but a spokesperson from the Milwaukee Police Department said the police do not "self-dispatch."
In his interview with WISN, Bueno said, "If it were my loved one, I would've wanted them to react much quicker with much more urgency, and that didn't happen."
As of Thursday, no one has been charged in connection with the incident. The home invasion case is being referred to prosecutors.
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