Dallas officer who shot Botham Jean told 911 dispatcher 19 times that she thought it was her apartment
Former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger who shot and killed Botham Jean after entering his apartment reportedly made a desperate 911 call in which she said at least 19 times that she thought she had entered her own apartment. She also said that she was going to lose her job.
The 30-year-old officer, who was off duty at the time, alternates between talking to the 911 dispatcher, to Jean, to herself, and then eventually to the responding officers.
In the 911 audio clip from September 6, 2018, released by Dallas news station WFAA, Guyger can be heard crying, and when the dispatcher tells her help is on the way, she replies with: "I know, but I'm going to lose my job. I thought it was my apartment." Then she can be heard telling Jean "Hey, man" before saying "F**k."
Shortly after the incident, Texas Rangers took the lead of the investigation and charged Guyger with manslaughter, meanwhile, the Dallas Police Department fired the four-year veteran during a hearing on September 21 last year.
Jean was reportedly in his own apartment at the time of the incident and was unarmed. The 26-year-old was rushed to the hospital where he later succumbed to the gunshot wound.
After Guyger's release from Kaufman County Jail on $300,000 bail, a grand jury upgraded the charge to murder in November 2018. Guyer's attorney has said that a jury will acquit her because the shooting was a "true mistake."
The call begins just before 10 pm with Guyger requesting police and paramedics. She tells the dispatcher that she walked into an apartment thinking it was her's and "shot a guy."
"You shot someone?" the dispatcher asks.
"Yes, I thought it was my apartment. I'm f**ked. Oh my God. I'm sorry," Guyger can be heard saying in the call. "I'm inside the apartment with him," she tells the dispatcher, before telling Jean, "Hey, come on, man."
"Hey, bud. Hey, bud. Hey, bud. Come on. Oh, f**k. I thought it was my apartment," Guyger continues saying.
The 30-year-old then asks the dispatcher to hurry before saying multiple times that she thought it was her own apartment: "I could've sworn I parked on the third floor."
The dispatcher then assures Guyger that police is on the way and asks her for the gate code, to which she replies with saying "no." Guyger then continues to talk to Jean: "Hey, bud. Hey, bud. They're coming. They're coming. I'm sorry, man."
She then says: "Oh my God. I'm done. I didn't mean to. I didn't mean to. I didn't mean to. I'm so sorry," Guyger continues, telling Jean, "Stay with me, bud." "I thought it was my apartment. I thought it was my apartment. Holy f**k. I thought it was my apartment. Oh my God. F**k. I thought it was my apartment. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. F**k."
She questions herself: "I... I ... How the f**k did I put the... How did I... How did I... I'm so tired. Hurry," she tells the dispatcher and the police arrive then. She can be heard telling them: "No, it's me. I'm off duty. I'm off duty. I f**ked ... I thought they were in my apartment. I thought this was my floor."
According to an arrest warrant affidavit, Guyger was off-duty at the time of the shooting and was still in her uniform.
She reportedly parked her car at her complex and walked to what she believed was her apartment. As she tried to use her key, she found the door slightly ajar and the interior almost dark. She described seeing a large silhouette and, believing there was an intruder in her apartment, drew her firearm, CNN reported.
The affidavit stated that she issued verbal commands but Jean, who was in his own home, did not listen to them and that is when Guyger fired two shots, hitting him once in the torso. She reportedly told police that she realized she was in the wrong apartment when the 911 dispatcher asked for her address.
Jean's parents filed a federal lawsuit against Guyger and the city last year in October, alleging that the former police officer used excessive force. Guyger's trial is set to begin in September.
Jean's mother, Allison Jean, said that Guyger "inflicted tremendous evil on my son". She added, "He didn't deserve it. He was seated in his own apartment. He felt safe and he was violated by her coming in and murdering him."