Read transcripts of the 911 calls that preceded a fatal shooting in Windham

Image of emergency lights at night
Photo by Scott Rodgerson

The following calls were transcribed by AI and edited by Portager staff. You can listen to recordings of the first call here and the second here.

Read our full story to learn more about this incident.

Call 1

dispatcher 0:01
911, where is your emergency?

caller 0:03
It’s at 8643 Werger road Garrettsville Ohio I tried calling the sheriff’s department Nobody answered.

dispatcher 0:16
What was the name of the road?

caller 0:18
Werger W-E-R-G-E-R road.

dispatcher 0:23
OK. What’s going on there? Do you need police fire or EMS?

caller 0:28
Police? My neighbor is over we don’t get along with our neighbor and now she’s currently in my garage knocking at my door. I would like to remove her she doesn’t get hurt or something happens to her. As I said I tried calling the sheriff’s department Portage County. Nobody answered.

dispatcher 0:56
Well, that’s strange. Our phones have been working all morning. I wonder if there’s an issue getting through

caller 1:04
Do you have a different number?

dispatcher 1:07
It’s 330-296-5100 We’re extension nine.

caller 1:25
What is the phone number?

dispatcher 1:28
It’s 330-296-5100 and it’s extension nine

caller 1:42
So what do I do from here? Do I go out there and get rid of her?

dispatcher 1:47
No, no, I will. I’ll send one of my guys out here.

caller 1:52
Well, they better hurry up.

dispatcher 1:54
What’s your name?

caller 1:56
Richard. Knerem

dispatcher 1:56
Can you spell your last name for me?

caller 2:01
Knerem

dispatcher 2:08
What’s your neighbors name?

caller 2:18
Cora. She lives in a trailer on the side of our house.

Her name is Claire?

Cora. Last name starts with a B.

dispatcher 2:54
She’s still trying to get in?

caller 2:56
Yes.

dispatcher 2:58
OK. All right. Hang tight. Let me get my guys on the way. OK.

caller 3:03
OK. Appreciate it, thank you.

dispatcher 3:04
If anything changes, give us a call back. OK. OK. Bye

Call 2

dispatcher 0:00
911 Where’s your emergency?

caller 0:02
AT 8643 Werger road

dispatcher 0:06
8643?

caller 0:08
Yes. I just called a little bit ago.

dispatcher 0:10
It’s what?

caller 0:12
I just called a little bit ago.

dispatcher 0:14
OK that’s fine.

caller 0:18
My neighbor has a gun and she’s in my garage pointing it at me I have the right to go shoot her, don’t I?

dispatcher 0:27
No

caller 0:29
Why? She’s threatening me. She has a gun in my house on my property. I’m waiting for your people to get here

dispatcher 0:36
Yeah they’re en route. Is this Richard?

caller 0:43
Yes

dispatcher 0:44
And this is your neighbor that’s in your garage?

caller 0:49
Yes. With a gun pointing it at me

dispatcher 1:00
what is your neighbor’s name?

caller 1:03
Cora.

dispatcher 1:04
You said Cora?

caller 1:06
Yes. I went out there I told her she needs a remove herself from my property and get out of my garage

dispatcher 1:16
So you’re in the house; you’re not with with her in the garage, correct?

caller 1:20
I came back inside in my house and I locked my door. She’s currently in my garage. With a gun.

dispatcher 1:33
Is she still in your garage?

caller 1:33
I’m not going back out there. If I go out there I’m going out there with a gun and I’m shooting her. So, no I’m not going back out there. Would you go out there if somebody had a gun pointed at you?

dispatcher 1:44
Sir, it was a question. I just have to let my deputies know. Can you hear her doing anything in the garage?

caller 2:00
I’m not even close to that, nor do I want to be. I’d be going out there for one reason. And that’d be to pick her up in a bodybag.

dispatcher 2:06
And then you’ll be in trouble for that, sir.

caller 2:13
Well not if she has a gun in my garage

dispatcher 2:16
But you’re able to get away sir, is that correct?

caller 2:20
yeah so if she shoots me it’s like who shoots who first?

dispatcher 2:23
They are definitely en route.

caller 2:26
She’s knocking at my door. I hope she doesn’t knock it down before you guys get here.

dispatcher 2:51
You said she’s knocking on your door now?

caller 2:53
Yeah.

dispatcher 3:04
But your door is locked, correct?

caller 3:06
Well I went back out there and I did lock it while she was pointing a gun at me, yeah

dispatcher 3:16
Has she done this before, Richard?

caller 3:18
No

dispatcher 3:32
She’s not saying nothing, she just came into your garage with a gun?

caller 3:42
I’m gonna call it somebody else.

dispatcher 3:44
They’re almost there, sir.

caller 3:46
Well I hope they are. I’m gonna call my buddy and maybe he’ll come over. He can come over with his guns he’s got and get her from the other side. I can’t keep waiting around here. I’m not gonna get shot while I’m waiting on you guys. All right, I’m gonna let you go.

dispatcher 4:06
No, don’t do that sir. Who’s that talking? Who’s talking or is that your television?

caller 4:34
No, it’s my wife. She wants to know if you guys are on your way or not.

dispatcher 4:37
They are on their way. Stay away from the door. Do you know if she’s left your garage? Can you hear anything in your garage sir?

caller 5:26
As far as I know she’s still there. She ain’t leaving until I go back out there or you guys get here or…

dispatcher 5:31
like I said they’re en route. I have several units en route to you.

caller 6:11
Can’t they even send a Garrettsville cop over here or Windham cop for now?

dispatcher 6:14
Yeah there’s a Garrettsvill unit that’s very close. So I have Garrettsville they’re going to be there and our deputies are going to be there

caller 6:23
Yeah well I’m only like five minutes from town and it’s been more than five minutes since I called in

dispatcher 6:30
You’re not five minutes from like our area. I mean of Portage County’s not small … He’s almost there, sir. Can you see your driveway from where you are in the house sir?

caller 7:01
Yeah, I’m looking out the window waiting for you guys to show up and I have a couple of pictures with her pointing a gun at me

dispatcher 7:18
OK

caller 7:32
I told her she needs to remove herself from my property and out of my garage.

dispatcher 7:45
When you told her that, did she say anything to you?

caller 7:48
She said we have to talk. I said you need to remove yourself off my property and out of my garage. I said I do not come over to your house or walk inside your house.

dispatcher 8:00
Right, no, I agree. You said that she has never done this before?

caller 8:05
No.

dispatcher 8:05
Have you guys had issues with her before?

caller 8:10
We did … we don’t talk to her at all. But we did have her septic dumping into our yard

dispatcher 8:21
Oh wow.

caller 8:22
So we did file a complaint with that through the county.

dispatcher 8:25
Right.

caller 8:27
But [unclear] why she’s here.

dispatcher 8:30
How long ago was it that you guys filed that complaint? I mean, was it recent or a while ago?

caller 8:36
Three weeks ago? I don’t know how you’re supposed to have a conversation with somebody pointing a gun at you.

dispatcher 9:02
No, you’re not. I’m just asking to see if there was anything that led up to this or why she’s in your garage with a gun.

caller 9:08
I don’t know [unclear] the issue with the septic, but I haven’t spoken to her … I don’t, we don’t speak at all. She’s knocking at my door again. Yeah, yeah. Where are the police? Garrettsville’s five minutes away. Are the police afraid to come here?

dispatcher 9:30
903 is waiting for our units. He’s not going to approach by himself.

caller 9:33
Oh, sit around and wait for me to get shot. The other officers not allowed to come not unless another officer comes with them. Because he’s scared

dispatcher 9:48
It’s a policy, sir.

caller 9:53
Well, our lives are at stake and one policeman should be able to handle something. Cause I can go out there and get rid of it right now

dispatcher 10:03
They’re almost there

caller 10:06
I know you keep saying that. And yes, I do give them permission when they show up they can go in my garage and have a conversation with her.

dispatcher 10:33
Is the door open or closed like the garage door?

caller 10:36
It’s open. She’s in there. She’s in my garage right now knocking at my door waiting to get in. That’s how she got in there. She’s trying to get my door handle open on the door.

dispatcher 10:53
OK

caller 10:57
She’s gonna break my window.

dispatcher 11:01
Give me one second I’ll let my deputies know, OK?

caller 11:06
She’s banging on the window?

dispatcher 11:09
She’s trying the door handle trying to get in. I’m calling somebody else. This is the only phone that I have. You can call me back if you like. But I can’t wait for your policeman.

caller 11:27
No I’m just letting them know what’s going on. My deputy is like—

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