911 Operator Who Hung Up On Caller Reporting Buffalo Massacre Placed On Leave

The 911 operator who hung up on a caller trying to report the Tops mass shooting in Buffalo, New York, has been suspended.

On Wednesday, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz made the announcement that the dispatcher had been placed on administrative leave for hanging up on Latisha Rogers, an assistant office manager at the Tops supermarket, who was asking for help as the massacre was taking place inside the grocery store on Saturday, May 15th. Ten Black people lost their lives in the racially motivated shooting.

Poloncarz slammed the dispatcher for acting “totally inappropriately, not following protocol.” He added that the county intended to fire her, but first, a May 30th hearing had to take place.

When the dispatcher was called by Rogers asking for help, the 911 employee asked her why she was whispering. Without much further assistance, she ended the call.

Poloncarz explained that all 911 call takers are trained to know that when callers are whispering, they are usually in distress. Therefore, the call taker was more than aware that a severe situation was taking place. The employee had been in the position for about eight years.

The name of the employee hasn’t been publicly released.