SAGINAW CO., Mich. (WNEM) – A mother whose daughter was shot and killed has filed a lawsuit against Saginaw County Central Dispatch.
Nala Wallace was killed in July of last year in Saginaw. Her mother says a dispatcher played a role in her death.
“It hurts to know that she laid there thinking somebody was on their way,” said Deeangela Wallace, Nala Wallace’s mother. “And nobody ever came, and she laid there and died by herself.”
Deeangela Wallace says she misses her daughter every day. She was gunned down on July 5, 2021, on Burnham Street in Saginaw.
Wallace believes that Saginaw County 911 Authority played a role in Nala’s death.
“If you would’ve done your job, everyone else would’ve had a choice to do their job,” Wallace said. “No one else had a choice to do their job correctly because you felt like there wasn’t a need for help to come.”
Wallace is suing Saginaw County 911 for gross negligence. Wallace is represented by the Mastromarco Firm. Attorney Victor Mastromarco said a supervisor took the first 911 call at 4:25 a.m.
“He was aware that Nala had been shot,” Mastromarco said. “If he would’ve coded it that way, the police would’ve arrived and so would the emergency people right away.”
But Mastromarco says the call was coded as shots fired, a lower priority.
“The police are not going to arrive, or the medical personnel is not going to arrive,” Mastromarco said. “But yet, even knowing that, he told the homeowner that called in the situation, the police are on their way.”
That homeowner called 911 again almost one hour and 25 minutes later at 5:50 a.m. This time, help came but Nala Wallace was already gone.
911 call:
Dispatch: “Saginaw central.”
Homeowner: “Yeah I just called in an hour ago and said there was shots fired outside my house and there was a girl pounding on my door. And no cops have showed up and I just looked out my door finally and she’s laying on my porch. Where the [explicit] are these cops! This is [explicit] ridiculous!”
Dispatch: “What’s the address?”
Homeowner: “[explicit] Burnham. Black woman on my porch. I don’t know who she is.”
Dispatch: “Is she breathing?”
Homeowner: “I don’t know. I am not going out there.”
Dispatch: “I’ll let the officers know. They’re dealing with four other shootings right now, so they’re tied up. I will let them know. Yeah, they’re all tied up right now. I’m going to let them know that she’s on your porch. All right. Thanks. Bye.”
Attorney Kevin Kelly says that vascular experts will testify in court that Nala could’ve survived with a faster response.
“She was shot multiple times but most of them were not life-threatening shots,” Kelly said. “One was, and it ultimately was the cause of her death. But the experts will explain how if she would’ve gotten appropriate treatment, the chances of survival are very significant.”
Wallace is seeking compensatory damages against Saginaw County 911. But she said nothing will ease the pain she feels without Nala.
“No matter what happens, at the end of the day, I’m still not getting what I want, and that’s my baby,” Wallace said.
For their part, a spokesperson with Saginaw County 911 Authority said they have no comment.
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