MILWAUKEE — Two Milwaukee 911 call takers have resigned following an internal investigation into the delayed emergency response connected to the brutal assault of a 99-year-old woman inside her home, city officials announced Wednesday.
The City of Milwaukee Department of Emergency Communications revealed the personnel actions during a brief news conference outlining the results of its review into how multiple emergency calls were handled before police and firefighters were finally dispatched.
Previous Coverage: https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/in-your-community/milwaukee-county/milwaukee-man-charged-with-felony-battery-after-99-year-old-woman-attacked-during-3-hour-911-delay
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“Based on that review, the DEC has taken appropriate actions with regard to personnel,” DEC Director Tony Bueno said. “Two call takers have resigned their position, separated from employment with the department.”
Officials said a dispatcher involved in the incident was not found to have violated department policy or procedures, but will receive additional training.
The department did not release the full investigative report Wednesday and provided few specifics about what investigators concluded regarding why the calls were not elevated in priority or why responders were not immediately dispatched.
The case drew widespread attention after officials confirmed a 99-year-old Milwaukee woman was attacked inside her home on South 14th Street on July 27 while 911 was called three separate times over nearly three hours before emergency crews arrived.
The first 911 call came from a third-party operator around 5:15 a.m. reporting a disturbance and possible threats of physical harm. A second call followed shortly afterward, with the operator reporting what sounded like live audio from inside the residence.
“I just took them off hold and listened for a minute, and it sounds like he is kicking an elderly woman while they're down on the floor,” the operator told a dispatcher during the call.
Despite that information, emergency responders were not immediately sent to the home.
At approximately 7:51 a.m., the woman herself called 911 and reported she had been attacked and injured. That call was classified as a high-priority incident. Milwaukee Fire Department crews arrived around 7:57 a.m., and Milwaukee police arrived at approximately 8:23 a.m.
Court records show 23-year-old Joseph Guadalupe Macias has since been charged with battery to an elder person causing great bodily harm, first-degree reckless injury and burglary of a dwelling in connection with the attack.
According to the criminal complaint, the victim suffered extensive injuries, including broken jaw bones, severe bruising and multiple lacerations.
During Wednesday’s briefing, Bueno repeatedly defended the department’s training standards, describing the program as “extensive” and saying it meets or exceeds national benchmarks. Officials also highlighted ongoing efforts to obtain national accreditation and certification standards for the department’s operations and training programs.
However, officials did not directly answer questions from reporters about why the calls were not elevated sooner or whether any supervisory failures contributed to the delay.
The news conference ended after only a few questions due to what organizers called "time constraints."
Bueno said the department intends to release the investigative report once procedural and personnel review requirements are completed.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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