Amish School Shooting 911 Transcripts

911 Dispatcher: Lancaster County 911, do you need police, fire or ambulance?
Mr. Smoker: Yes, this is Amos Smoker.
911 Dispatcher: OK.
Mr. Smoker: There's a, there's a guy in the school with a gun.
911 Dispatcher: OK, what, what, what school? Where at?
Mr. Smoker: White Oak Road.
911 Dispatcher: What city, township or borough is that in?
Mr. Smoker: How's that?
911 Dispatcher: What city, township or borough is that in?
Mr. Smoker: Bart Township.
911 Dispatcher: OK. Stay on the line. It's state police.
Mr. Smoker: OK.
(Call being transferred to state police.)
State Police PCO: State Police Dispatch Center.
Mr. Smoker: Yes, this is Amos Smoker.

(State police transcript not released at this time.)

10:41 a.m.

911 Dispatcher: Lancaster County 911.
Caller: Did someone call in for police at a school?
911 Dispatcher: What school? What school was it?
Caller: West Nickel Mines School.
911 Dispatcher: Nickel Mines School, somebody with a gun?
Caller: Yes.
911 Dispatcher: Hold on one second. Did you call before? We transferred to State Police.
Caller: OK, someone's coming out.
911 Dispatcher: Well, I don't know. I'm going to transfer you, OK. I don't dispatch them here, hold on. Does anybody need an ambulance, do you know?
Caller: I don't know.
911 Dispatcher: OK, hold on. Is he in the school?
Caller: I don't know nothing. I don't know.
911 Dispatcher: Alright, hold on.

(Call being transferred to State Police)

911 Dispatcher: Is this Amish school?
Caller: Yes it is.
911 Dispatcher: In Bart Township?
Caller: Yes.
Pennsylvania State Police PCO: Pennsylvania State Police, PCO Campbell, hello.
911 Dispatcher: Go ahead sir.
PCO Campbell: Sir, go ahead, State Police.

(State police transcript not released at this time.)

10:55

911 Dispatcher: Lancaster County 911, do you need police, fire or ambulance? Hello ... Your cell phone is cutting in and out. Do you have an emergency?
Mr. Roberts: Yes.
911 Dispatcher: OK, what's the address of the emergency?
Mr. Roberts: It's on White Oak Road. I just took, uh, 10 girls hostage and I want everybody off the property or, or else.
911 Dispatcher: OK, alright.
Mr. Roberts: Now.
911 Dispatcher: Hold on a second.
911 Dispatcher: Hello.
Mr. Roberts: Yeah.
911 Dispatcher: OK, what's the problem there?
Mr. Roberts: Don't try to talk me out of it. Get 'em all off the property now.
911 Dispatcher: Sir, I want you to stay on the phone with me, OK? I'm going to let the state police down there. I need to let you talk to them, OK? Can I transfer you to them?
Mr. Roberts: No. You tell them and that's it. Right now or they're dead, in two seconds.
911 Dispatcher (to unidentified person at countywide communications): He won't let me transfer.
911 Dispatcher (to Mr. Roberts): Hang on a minute, we're trying to tell them, OK?
Mr. Roberts: Two seconds. That's it.
911 Dispatcher: Sir, listen to me. Listen... (Line goes dead)

10:58

911 Dispatcher: Lancaster County 911.
Ms. Roberts: Yes, my name is Marie Roberts. My husband just called me on his cell phone and told me that he wasn't going to be coming home and that the police were there and not to worry about it, and I have no idea what he is talking about, but I am really scared. And I wondered if, how I find out what's going on?
911 Dispatcher: OK, where are you calling me from?
Ms. Roberts: I'm calling from my home.
911 Dispatcher: And what's that address?
Ms. Roberts: 1084 Georgetown Road.
911 Dispatcher: What township, city or borough is that?
Ms. Roberts: Bart Township.
911 Dispatcher: OK, and your husband didn't tell you where he was?
Ms. Roberts: No, he didn't.
911 Dispatcher: He called you on his cell phone?
Ms. Roberts: Yes, he did.
911 Dispatcher: OK, and, and all he said to you was that...
Ms. Roberts: I'm not coming home, um, he was upset about something that had happened 20 years ago, and he said he was getting revenge for it. I don't think he was getting revenge on another person. I'm worried that maybe he was trying to commit suicide.
[continues]

911 Dispatcher: OK, hang on the line, I'm going to transfer you to the State Police, OK?
Ms. Roberts: Thank you.
911 Dispatcher: Hang on a second.

(Call being transferred to State Police)

PCO Bowerman: State Police Dispatch, PCO Bowerman.
Ms. Roberts: My name is Marie Roberts. My husband just called me and said that he wasn't coming home and that the police were there and that he left notes for myself and my children, and I'm worried that he tried to commit suicide somewhere. And...
PCO Bowerman: What's his name?
Ms. Roberts: Charlie Roberts.
PCO Bowerman: OK, what's ... Let me ask you a question. Hold on for one second please.
Ms. Roberts: Yeah.
PCO Bowerman: You said your name again was?
Ms. Roberts: Marie Roberts.
PCO Bowerman: Marie Roberts, thank you.
PCO Bowerman: Ma'am, let me ask you a question. What kind of vehicle does your husband drive?
Ms. Roberts: He was using my grandpa's pickup. It's a GMC.
PCO Bowerman: Color?
Ms. Roberts: Blue.
PCO Bowerman: Blue GMC.
Ms. Roberts: Yeah.
PCO Bowerman: One second. OK, ma'am, what's your husbands name?
Ms. Roberts: Charlie Roberts.
PCO Bowerman: Charlie Roberts. And what does he look like?
Ms. Roberts: He is 6 foot 2, short brown, you know like buzzed brown hair, um, he is 32 years old, wears glasses. I guess he's like maybe 195 pounds.
PCO Bowerman: OK, you say he left notes?
Ms. Roberts: Yes.
PCO Bowerman: What did the notes say?
Ms. Roberts: Like, the thought of not my children, not seeing them grow up, like, let's see, uh, I'm not even sure. Here it is. 'My daughter Abigail, I want you to know that I love you and I'm sorry I couldn't be here to watch you grow up.' That's how the notes start.
PCO Bowerman: OK, hold on one moment.

[end]

I really Admire the people that work for 911 although it is easy for people to
criticize them, it is a tough Job I have met these epople personally, and you
can really feel the stress level they are at.

These are underpaid social councellors that react quicker than a sniper under
stress....

My hats to these people.

[My apologies for spelling mistakes...carpal tunnel taking its toll.]

Transcript source: www.nbc4.com...

Good post, A1ex.

That helps to put the incident in a better perspective, although there are still many unanswered questions.