911 Dispatcher Hangs Up on Caller as Teen Is Dying

"OK, you know what ma'am, you could deal with it yourself. I’m not gonna deal with this, OK?" That's what a firefighter in Albuquerque, New Mexico, was recorded telling a 911 caller after a 17-year-old was shot at a party. The exchange involved Albuquerque Fire Department driver Matthew Sanchez, who was working dispatch on the night of June 26. In a roughly 30-second portion of the recorded call, posted by KRQE, he's heard twice asking if Jaydon Chavez-Silver was breathing. The caller responds, "He’s barely breathing. How many times do I have to f---ing tell you?" to which Sanchez replies that he isn't going to "deal with this" and then hangs up. Jaydon later died from the gunshot, per KRQE.

The fire chief on Monday said Sanchez "was immediately removed from the dispatch center and placed on administrative assignment. An internal investigation has been initiated." Chief Administrative Officer Rob Perry subsequently announced that Sanchez had resigned from the Albuquerque Fire Department, where he had worked for 10 years, reports KOAT. KOB6 reports that police believe the shooter either walked or drove by the home where about 10 people were gathered and fired as many as six shots; no arrests have been made. KRQE notes Jaydon had only been at the home for about five minutes before the shooting began. A rep for Jaydon's family says they're "beyond belief about what happened," but want to keep their focus on catching the killer. (Last month, a Detroit EMT allegedly refused to help a dying baby.)