On May 17, the training of the county's 911 operators came under a microscope. On that night, a gunman took four Hofstra students hostage during a botched robbery. Dalton Smith was holding 21-year-old Andrea Rebello in a headlock when police entered the house.
He kept saying I'm gonna kill her,' and then he pointed the gun at the police officer, an official said during the investigation.
The officer fired, killing the robber and Rebello. Nassau Police Benevolent Association President James Carver said 911 did not communicate to officers that there were hostages.
My police officer responded to a robbery in progress and he acted in accordance with what the call was given out to him, Carver said.
Sources from 911 confirmed that the call was labeled a robbery in progress with a weapon but said the operator also communicated there were hostages.
He's got a gun pointed at them and there are hostages, the dispatcher is heard saying on an audio recording.
Jean Ebbert retired last year after 20 years as a Nassau County 911 operator. She said in the Hofstra incident, more than one call type applied.