'Send help immediately': Inquest into fatal police shooting of Hamilton teen hears his 911 calls
CBC
An inquest into the death of 19-year-old Quinn MacDougall heard him tell a 911 call-taker he had been threatened and someone with a gun was outside his home.
"Please send help immediately," he could be heard saying in a recording of an emergency call made in April 3, 2018, that was played for the inquest jury on Tuesday.
"He just pulled a firearm."
The details of that call made it a "priority 1" and police were dispatched immediately, said Michelle Muracco, a civilian member of the Hamilton Police Service who trains dispatchers and call-takers.
That wasn't his first call that day, however. The inquest heard MacDougall's first 911 call where he described receiving a Snapchat message from a "random" person around 11:55 a.m. that day who knew his home address and included a date, May 1.
MacDougall said even though the message was "vague" he found it threatening.
"I'm gonna be home today 'cause I'm just, like, terrified," he told the call-taker.
That call was ranked a "priority 4," according to Muracco, who said it was still on the board over three hours later, when MacDougall called again.
"Please send ... a squad car immediately," MacDougall could be heard saying in a call made at around 3:35 p.m.
He described someone with a gun outside, and said he was inside his house, but the recording ended with a dial tone that Muracco said meant he had hang up.
The inquest heard about another call made from a separate number, when the person at that number was reached, they handed the phone to a person who sounded similar to MacDougall.
The caller described the person threatening them as a Black 19-year-old, but hung up when the call-taker asked if they knew who it was.
A call between a dispatcher and police heading to the scene was also played.
Several different people appeared to be responding, but an officer could be heard saying "everyone can slow down."
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