Computer dispatch reports show under 5-minute response to Ma Kaing shooting
Although some witnesses to the July 15 shooting of Ma Kaing have insisted it took first responders more than 40 minutes to arrive on the scene and render aid to the dying woman, Computer Aided Dispatch reports released to CBS4 on Friday show police officers were dispatched 27 seconds after the first 911 call. Officers arrived 4 minutes and 49 seconds later, while an ambulance arrived to help the victim seconds after police were on the scene.
Ma Kaing and her son were unloading their car at about 11:30 p.m. that Friday at their apartment building at 1313 Xenia Street when Kaing was struck by a stray bullet. She was pronounced dead at the scene. But the death of the neighborhood leader has raised the ire of some in the community, who complained first responders were slow to arrive that night.
At a community meeting this week, residents maintained it took an excessive amount of time for help to arrive.
"I was here," said one resident who complained of slow police response, "I saw it all."
According to the newly released information, which had parts redacted, Denver's ShotSpotter system detected "30 rounds" had been fired in the area at 11:29:26 pm.
The first 911 call came in 17 seconds later and Denver police officers were dispatched at 23:30:10, 27 seconds after the first 911 call.
An ambulance arrived and was "staged" near the scene at 11:33:42, less than 4 minutes after the first 911 call, waiting for clearance from police that it was safe to enter the area.
The records show the first officer arrived on the scene at 11:34:59 p.m., 4 minutes and 49 seconds after the initial dispatch. At 11:35 p.m., the ambulance crew aired the words, "we're clear direct" meaning they were entering the scene.
According to Denver's Department of Public Safety, the times were drawn from dispatch audio from that night, which the department says is "the most real-time depiction of a timeline that we can pull."
No arrests have been made in the case and the reward has been increased to $10,000.
CBS4 has previously reported that 7 callers to 911 all were placed on hold when they called in the shooting, most were on hold for between 3 to 4 minutes. But Denver's Department of Public Safety has maintained the ShotSpotter alert and nearly simultaneous dispatch of first responders, which meant the problems with the 911 system that night were a moot point.
Asked about the status of the investigation, Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen said "the team is making progress" although he asked for more tips and information from the community "to build on the progress that's been made. Our team will work tirelessly and do everything possible," said Pazen, "to bring justice to the family and justice to the community."
