February 9th, 2012
02:16 AM ET

Authorities probe 911 response after Josh Powell's murder suicide

Authorities launched an investigation into how dispatchers handled 911 calls from those seeking help before Josh Powell killed his sons and himself in his Washington home.

Critics have said it took too long for dispatchers to grasp the danger of the situation and alert police.

"We will investigate all aspects of this incident, and if there is a need to refine our processes, (as we do continually) we will do so," said Tom Orr, director of the Law Enforcement Support Agency, which operates the 911 call center. " If there is a need to investigate from a disciplinary perspective and assign individual responsibility, we will do that as well."

Orr's comments come as the community come to grips with Sunday's murder suicide at Powell's Graham, Washington home. Powell is accused of snatching his young sons from a social worker who was delivering them for a supervised visit, locking the door, hacking the kids with a hatchet and starting an explosive fire in the home.

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Filed under: Crime • Justice • Politics • U.S.
soundoff (9 Responses)
  1. Rdsnpr

    Ive spent many thousands of dollars to gain custody of my daughters and still fighting and not in my wildest dreams !!!! This guy should go through pure hell for what hes done the poor mother and extended family

    February 9, 2012 at 2:52 am | Report abuse |
    • banasy©

      Dear Rdsnpr, if you want to try and regain custody of your girls, printing your ex's phone number and name, while it may make you feel better at the moment, is NOT the way to go.
      It will come right back and bite you in the ass.
      Good luck.

      February 9, 2012 at 1:25 pm | Report abuse |
  2. Bill

    He is innocent

    February 9, 2012 at 7:25 am | Report abuse |
  3. Sic Bastad

    I would have been there sooner, but I took a hatchet to the knee.

    February 9, 2012 at 10:04 am | Report abuse |
  4. Greek American

    Get up and get get down, 911 is a joke in your town!!!

    February 9, 2012 at 11:38 am | Report abuse |
  5. banasy©

    911 failed those children miserably.
    Training, my ass.
    They need to face charges in a chain of events that inevitably led up to those boys' murders
    This is something that could be completely and totally avoided.

    February 9, 2012 at 1:23 pm | Report abuse |
  6. Darrin

    Rev Phelps to protest at boys funeral Saturday.

    February 9, 2012 at 1:53 pm | Report abuse |
  7. banasy©

    Please put my original comment back up.
    There was not a thing wrong with it.
    Thank you.

    February 9, 2012 at 2:21 pm | Report abuse |
  8. banasy©

    Okay, I will say it again:
    the 911 system failed these children miserably, and should be held accountable for these kids deaths.
    Why, exactly, they were still playing around asking bloody stupid questions after the social worker said she smelled gasoline?
    Is it life threatening?
    Hell yes!!!
    She smelled gasoline, and he basically took his kids hostage...what the hell were the police thinking?????

    February 9, 2012 at 7:23 pm | Report abuse |
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