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Ever since Gregory Frazier was fatally shot by police officers in his backyard on Friday night, and information about exactly what prompted authorities to react with deadly force has slowly trickled out.
First, the Broward Sheriff's Office released the two 911 calls made by family members who reported that Frazier had been breaking household furniture and flashing a knife around.
Now, the BSO has released a second set of calls that were placed after the police arrived.
Technically, the BSO isn't required to release any information at all while the incident is being reviewed by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. If you feel so inclined, you can come up with all kinds of cynical theories about why they've released what they've released while simultaneously withholding other information, such as exactly how many times Frazier was shot.
In any case, here they are:
Call #3
This recording starts with a man (whose name and address are redacted from the tape) asking dispatchers to send a paramedic because someone has been shot.
Dispatcher: Who shot him?
Caller: The police.
Dispatcher: The police shot him?
Caller: Yeah, they came for an emergency, he was in the backyard drunk, he had a knife and they shot him.
Dispatcher: The one that had the knife, the cops saw it and then they shot him?
Caller: Yeah.
Dispatcher: Hang on. Stay on the line with me, okay?
Caller: [to someone on the scene] Is he still breathing?
Dispatcher: Sir? Sir, is that the ambulance I'm hearing?
Caller: Um, yeah, I hear them.
The last 40 seconds of the call have significant background noise and are somewhat difficult to decipher, but at one point, someone clearly says, "He came at me with a knife." The speaker is not identified but doesn't seem to be the original caller.
Call #4
This recording doesn't add any insight about what happened in the Fraziers' backyard, but it does give you a sense of how chaotic a crime scene can be. After telling the dispatcher that "they have a killing over here," it becomes clear that the unnamed caller had meant to dial a different number (presumably 411 instead of 911.)
Caller: The police killed a guy. We need a news team here. Channel 7, Channel 10. Come over here. We need to talk to somebody.
Dispatcher: Do you see the paramedics there as well?
Caller: I don't understand what you're saying.
Dispatcher: Are there paramedics there?
Caller: Police [are] here now, but we need a news team over here.
Dispatcher: Okay, well, you're calling the wrong department. Sir, if you want Channel 7, you cannot dial 911 for Channel 7.
Caller: This is 911? I just called 911.Dispatcher: Are the police there, sir?
Caller: No, no, I need Channel 7. News people.