911 Dispatcher Fired For Allegedly Hanging Up on Caller During Buffalo Attack

A crowd gathers as police investigate after a shooting at a supermarket on Saturday, May 1
AP Photo/Joshua Bessex

Erie County dispatcher Sheila E. Ayers was fired for allegedly hanging up on a Tops Friendly Market employee who called during the May 14 Buffalo attack.

The Daily Mail reports that Latisha Rogers, an assistant manager at the grocery store, claims she called while hiding in a closet during the attack.

Rogers said she asked Ayers to send help and alleges that Ayers responded by asking why she was whispering, then hung up.

WGRZ quoted Rogers saying:

I called 911, I go through the whole operator and everything, the dispatcher comes on and I’m whispering to her and I said Miss, please send help to 1275 Jefferson there is a shooter in the store. She proceeded in a very nasty tone and says I can’t hear you,  why are you whispering, you don’t have to whisper, they can’t hear you, so I continued to whisper and I said ma’am he’s still in the store, he’s still shooting!  I’m scared for my life, please send help. Out of nervousness, my phone fell out of my hand, she said something I couldn’t make out, and then the phone hung up.

The Washington Post notes that Ayers was initially put on leave, and was then fired following a town hearing on Thursday of last week.

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkinsa weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio and a Turning Point USA Ambassador. Follow him on Instagram: @awr_hawkins. Reach him at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.

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