Report describes Zimmerman's 911 call
MADISON—An internal investigation found that the 911 call from a UW-Madison student when she was being killed in April lasted 57 seconds, but the operator wasn’t able to hear "sounds possibly indicating an emergency.“
Records show the 911 operator did not call back to the number to determine if there was an emergency, and no officers were dispatched to the area where the cell phone call originated until 48 minutes later, after a roommate found 21-year-old Brittany Zimmermann dead.
The stabbing death of the UW-Madison student from Marshfield remains unsolved.
Dane County 911 center officials said in their May 6 report that the operator could not hear screams and sounds of a struggle. A police detective is quoted in a search warrant document as saying the 911 call had those sounds.
Dec 6, 2008 at 11:46 p.m.
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This was broadcast on WMTV Ch-15 several days ago with the audio clip. Check out their web site to listen if you must. It may have saved her but that is highly doubtful if you read the Madison reports on it. The time frame puts her death minutes after the call. At very least, as her parents have said, they may have caught the perpetrator and given the family some peace.
Dec 6, 2008 at 11:58 a.m.
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We had an old cell phone and I gave it to my nine year old to play with. Well, my 11 year old son told her, "You can only use the phone to call 911."
Being nine, she called 911, and a police officer showed up at our house. I was very confused because I did not know what happenned until the officer said the call came from a non-working phone. I hadn't even known that you can still dial 911 from them until he informed me. So i asked her AND then my daughter promptly burst into tears.
She felt SO bad and I felt horrible that the police officer wasted time to come out (even though we are right across the street).
Still, it was nice to know that the Rock County police responded so quickly..
THANK YOU and once again, I am so sorry that happenned!
Dec 6, 2008 at 9:24 a.m.
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What a tragic tragic failure in the Dane County 911 center. She could have been saved.
Dec 6, 2008 at 8:50 a.m.
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Kathleen Falk should resign as part of this tragedy. She has done nothing to make the County's 911 center better. A death happened because of her failed policies.
Dec 6, 2008 at 8:44 a.m.
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Before I even read your name I was in total agreement, Hothands.
Dec 6, 2008 at 8:39 a.m.
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Why would you want to hear it? I have no need to hear this poor woman’s cries. If our system let her down (and I think it did) let those capable of changing the system or reprimanding those in fault, hear her plea’s. It is one thing to watch a horror film, but to hear a real woman’s last plea for help before she was murdered is totally different. Think of her family, or think if it was one of your families, would you want that made available to the public so every time you turned on your tv, or opened your local web browser there was your loved ones pain tossed in your face? No one would!
Dec 6, 2008 at 8:31 a.m.
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Actually, it would be our county's 911 system. In this case it would be Dane County's 911 system.
Dec 6, 2008 at 7:35 a.m.
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We won't be able to hear it! God forbid that we scrutinize our state's 911 emergency system
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