75-Year-Old Oklahoma Man Feels Let Down By 911 After Attack At School

<p>A 75-year-old man said 911 let him down when he called to report a drunk man inside a school lobby minutes before kids were getting out for the day.</p>

Thursday, March 22nd 2018, 6:37 pm

By: News On 6


A 75-year-old man said 911 let him down when he called to report a drunk man inside a school lobby minutes before kids were getting out for the day.

Robert Kashwer was picking up his grandson when he said a drunk man came inside and was acting agitated.

Kashwer said he called 911 because the last thing he wanted was for the kids to face the man.

Kashwer ended up in the hospital with three broken bones in his face.

Surveillance images show a man going inside the private school.

Kashwer said when he called 911 the man had fallen on the floor, slapped Kashwer's leg several times and was cussing.

"I encountered the standard set of questions from the 911 people. Kind of awkward going through that with him almost in my face," he said.

Fifteen minutes went by and no police.

Kashwer said the man got worse so he called 911 again and again and answered the same questions with the man listening, and that's when he attacked.

"He punched me in the nose and with the other hand, behind the ear and I went to the ground in a pool of blood," he said.

The man took the phone and ran just as school let out then went on lockdown.

Police caught Douglas Barnes.

Records show he has an extensive arrest record and has been to prison for assault.

Kashwer wants 911 to review its processes.

"I can't be the only person in a situation where I could not respond candidly to the questions being asked," he said.

911 said the operators did follow protocol and couldn't tell the situation was urgent and officers arrived in 17 minutes. Unfortunately for Kashwer, it was two minutes too late.

Kashwer said the school has upgraded its security and 911 said they will look at their protocol and see if there's a way for them to add questions that say something like, “Can you talk freely right now,” or, “Do you feel threatened?”

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