"The 911 responder twice asked whether the boy was black or white before dispatching officers."

[Ykcutnek]

A member of the public had phoned police saying people in the playground were scared by someone brandishing what looked like a gun.

In a recording released by officials, the caller can be heard saying: “There’s a guy with a pistol…you know, it’s probably fake but he’s pointing it at everybody.

“I don't know if it's real or not."

The 911 responder twice asked whether the boy was black or white before dispatching officers.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/cleveland-police-shooting-boy-with-fake-gun-dies-after-being-shot-by-ohio-officer-9878700.html

[B2G]

1. Well isn't that information kind of critical

to the responding officers? A physical description?

[gollygee]

2. "Can you describe him" is not the same as "is he black or white" n/t

[JohLast]

8. people are generally black or white or some shade thereof

[gollygee]

12. or something else

and they're also tall or short or in between, fat or skinny or in between, they're wearing this or that. Just asking if he's black or white isn't asking for a description.

[ManiacJoe]

11. Often times excited people need the normal questions

broken down into simpler questions else you don't get usable answers.

[gollygee]

13. "What did he look like"

is not a difficult question.

[ManiacJoe]

17. True, under normal circumstances.

Unfortunately for some folks calling 911, anything over single-word answers starts to get tricky.

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

3. Was there even a description of the clothes he was wearing?

nt

[ManiacJoe]

10. Yes, the caller gave that to the 911 operator.

[SoCalMusicLover]

4. Translation:

Should we speak to him or Shoot him?

[Tsiyu]

5. +1

...

[Ykcutnek]

6. +1 That's what I read between the lines. nt

[JohLast]

7. you know that is bs, right?

[smokey nj]

15. Tell that to Amadou Diallo, John Crawford, Lavar Jones, Kendrec McCade, Darrien Hunt, Roy

Middleton, and Akai Gurley.

[Jamastiene]

9. +1

[kelliekat44]

14. Is it me, or was that kid already on the ground when the police shot him? The video seems to show

that.

[ManiacJoe]

18. No, he was shot while standing then fell to the ground.

[Kalidurga]

16. Did she ask for a description first?

Maybe the caller didn't want to say what color the kid was when describing him. Some people are reluctant to use descriptions of race. On the face of it though this doesn't sound good. It sounds like race is the only thing the 911 responder cared at all about.