A dying mom tried to hold on till police found her attacker

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=2369656

Published Friday | April 20, 2007
A dying mom tried to hold on till police found her attacker
BY LYNN SAFRANEK
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

Jaime Lee begged a 911 dispatcher for help for nearly 30 minutes, at times crying and gasping for breath, before anyone could come to her rescue.

Paramedics were waiting outside to help her, but they couldn't enter the house until police officers found her attacker.

As they searched the house, an officer entered her bedroom: "Omaha police, put your hands up, please!"

"I've been shot!" she yelled back.

The 26-year-old died hours later on Jan. 28 after being taken to the hospital, making her the fourth victim in one of Omaha's deadliest homicides.

Her father, Richard Wilkinson, also shot and killed his 35-year-old son-in-law, Darrell "Jason" Lee, and grandsons Michael Wilkinson, 6, and Jacob Shinabargar, 3.

FULL story at link.

[jillan]

1. That is incredibly sad

I can't believe they left her to die.

[Kagemusha]

3. Absolutely not the fault of the paramedics.

They couldn't go in without taking a heavy risk of their being the next victims. They would've been in huge breach of policy by going in without the police and I couldn't even call it a smart decision in a case with a live gunman still at large.

The grand jury seems to have investigated if the police themselves were at fault. But, it's not exactly the easiest situation for them, either. I am not without sympathy, though unlike paramedics, they're armed and it's their job to deal with an armed suspect - a dangerous mission.

[Rosemary2205]

2. The police followed procedure.

Anyone that comes to render aid is taught from day one to assure the scene is safe for them first, then proceed to render aid. This is done so that more victims are not added, making the job of helping the original victim even more complicated. Police, emts, even school nurses are taught to secure the scene before rendering aid. If there was any possibility that the shooter could be hiding anywhere on the property then they had no choice but to clear the property first before rendering aid.

30 minutes seems like a long time to me but the details of how many officers responded or how large the property was that needed searched was not in the article.