Campus Dispatcher Tackles Kidnap, Robbery Call

A dispatcher for the Morehouse College (Atlanta) police department was the only link to safety for four students who were kidnapped at gunpoint by three robbers, and taken to a nearby ATM to withdraw money. The safe ending was slightly overshadowed by the victims’ questions about how four of their 911 calls to the Atlanta police department didn’t generate a police response. Morehouse PD dispatcher Karen Wells answered the call of one victim, who had programmed in the college PD’s number into his cellular phone. Two victims were in the back seat of a tan Buick headed to a nearby bank, and two other victims were locked in the trunk. Wells was able to obtain the color and description of the car, and its probable destination, all through the sounds of yelling and car noise. The suspects’ car arrived at the bank and was quickly surrounded by several police cars. The victims were unhurt and two suspects were captured. One suspect fled and is still being sought. The victims later complained that they made four 911 calls that did not go through. However, Atlanta 911 records showed that two calls were answered by a dispatcher who tried to talk to the victims. However, the caller apparently never realized the call had been connected, and the logging tapes contain only background noises and talking. Two other 911 calls from the men were not answered for over 30 seconds, police acknowledged, and were then either hung-up or disconnected. Read more about the incident, see a photo of Wells and listen to the two Atlanta PD 911 calls and Wells’ handling of the call for help here.