Authorities: Texas Homeowner Tried To Use Amazon's Alexa To Call 911 After Being Shot By Intruder -- It Didn't Work
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - "You must try another device." That's the answer a homeowner in Texas received when he tried to call 911 using an Amazon Alexa smart speaker after he was shot by an intruder, authorities said.
Authorities told KTRK that 66-year-old Glenn Smith was shot in his arm and chest early Wednesday morning while he was inside his kitchen in northwest Harris County. The gunshots apparently came through a window from an intruder who was in his backyard.
According to deputies, Smith and his wife then tried calling 911 through their Alexa speaker, but it failed. It responded with, "you must try another device." Authorities could not say if the couple had a phone nearby they could have used.
They soon drove themselves to the hospital where Smith is expected to be okay, according to his son.
Authorities said the suspected gunman ran away from the scene and a description was not readily available.
According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, most smart speakers are unable to call 911 if you ask as most offer only one-way calling and real-time GPS data would not be available.
