911 dispatcher: 'If he shoots you, call back'





MEMPHIS, Tenn. - A driver is furious with 911 dispatchers after their response to an alleged road rage incident.

Tonya Harvey tells WREG that a truck hit her on a highway and ran her off the road last month. She called 911 about the incident, then called again a few minutes later when the road rage suspect approached her car.

“I am at Getwell and American Way,” said Harvey in the 911 call at 7:33 a.m. “He drove me off the road. He pulled on my door trying to get in my car and beat on my window. I am afraid. Where are the police?”

“You called three minutes ago,” said the dispatcher.

“I understand that, but what if he shoots me? Then what?” asked Harvey.

“If he shoots you ma’am, call back in and give us that information,” said the dispatcher.

“How the hell am I going to call back in if I am shot?” said Harvey.

“Don’t yell at me. I am not the officer and making any…” said the dispatcher.

The recording ended at that point.

Harvey eventually followed the suspect to a gas station, and blocked him in until police arrived. She says she's more upset over the handling of the call than the incident itself.

‘The reason why I felt it was so outrageous, was because the response I got back from our 911 services of ‘If he shoots you, just call back’. That means you don’t care about me, my life, my family. What would happen to my family if something were to happen to me?” asked Harvey.

So far, emergency officials in Memphis haven't commented to WREG on how the call was handled.

You can listen to the entire 911 call at WREG's Web site.