Woman Killed During 13-Minute 911 Call

Denver police took 15 minutes to arrive at the scene
By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 17, 2014 11:53 AM CDT
Woman Killed During 13-Minute 911 Call
This undated photo provided by the Denver Police Department shows of Richard Kirk.   (AP Photo/Denver Police)

It took police 15 minutes to get to a Denver home after a woman called 911 on Monday—and in the meantime, she was shot and killed. After authorities arrested Kristine Kirk's husband, Richard, police say he told them he had shot her, ending what NBC News reports was a 13-minute call Kristine had with a 911 dispatcher. There's a police station just a mile from the house, and investigators are still trying to determine why it took so long for cops to get there, the Denver Post reports.

Kristine, 44, told a 911 operator that Richard, 47, was hallucinating, scaring their three kids, and asking to be killed; she said he may have consumed edible marijuana and that their gun was locked in a safe, 9News reports. At 9:32pm, dispatchers reported domestic violence to two officers, adding that Richard had been smoking marijuana, the Post reports. Police records say an officer was headed to the home more than 10 minutes later; that's when a shot rang out, with the dispatcher noting a possible shooting by using the phrase "Code 10" at 9:45pm. It wasn't until 9:47pm that an officer radioed his arrival at the home. Charges hadn't been filed in the case as of last night. (More Denver stories.)

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