Could police have gotten there faster? Could stabbing victim Barbara Killebrew's life have been saved?



MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Could a life have been saved if police response was quicker? That's a question some neighbors of Barbara Killebrew are asking.

Killebrew was stabbed to death inside her home near 24th Place and Melvina on Tuesday, June 24th -- allegedly by her boyfriend.

Barbara Killebrew



Police have a 52-year-old Milwaukee man in custody.

Police were called to the scene around 5:30 p.m. for a domestic incident. When they arrived, they found a woman who died as a result of multiple stab wounds.

Based on the blood the landlord found in Killebrew's apartment, the stabbing took place upstairs -- but Killebrew managed to make it downstairs to her back door.

Killebrew's downstairs neighbor, who asked that FOX6 News conceal her identity and call her Miss G, says Killebrew called for her and she opened her door.

"She was on her knees. He had her around her neck -- trying to force her back upstairs. I was in total shock. I called his name, asked him to let her go, please. Let her go, please let her go," Miss G said.

Miss G says the suspect was holding a knife, but let Killebrew go.

As Miss G continued to talk with him, Killebrew crawled into her kitchen.

Miss G called 911.

"I told them there's been a stabbing. I gave the address. I told them 'yes, please.' I said 'it's blood everywhere.' I stepped, coming outside, looking up the street. I haven't heard a siren yet," Miss G said.

But Miss G did see a neighbor across the street -- who also called 911.

"It's been 15 minutes already -- and then I got on the phone. I call again. I said 'look -- somebody please come.' I said 'oh, my Lord.' I said 'she's gonna die,'" Miss G said.

Miss G says she ended up calling 911 three times total. Her neighbor called twice.

Milwaukee police say it took them almost 22 minutes to arrive on scene.

According to Milwaukee Fire Department records, they arrived, and had to stage down the street -- waiting for police to clear the scene -- protocol with any crime.

Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn issued the following statement to FOX6 News:

"Dispatch records indicate that the 911 call was received at 5:26:53PM and we had a member on the scene at 5:48:16PM.  Our preliminary review shows that all District squads were either on an assignment or on their way to an assignment at the time the call was received.  We are currently investigating why a squad was not redirected to this assignment earlier." 

Milwaukee police say that based upon their preliminary investigation that the call in question wasn't handled within protocol, Chief Flynn addressed his command staff on Wednesday, and on Thursday -- issued a directive department-wide.

One reminder given is that any squad can be pre-empted from an assignment to handle a "Priority 1" call.

CLICK HERE to read Chief Flynn's Call Management Directive

Police say an internal investigation has begun.

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