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DA: Amish Killer's 911 Call Carried 'No Emotion'

Officials Refuse To Release Audio Of Calls

POSTED: 2:43 pm EDT October 10, 2006
UPDATED: 5:27 pm EDT October 10, 2006

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Charles Carl Roberts IV had "absolutely no emotion" in his voice as he told 911 operators he would kill a group of Amish girls if police didn't leave in "two seconds," Lancaster, Pa., District Attorney Don Totaro said.

Interactive: U.S. School Shootings

Totaro described the voice of the killer just moments before he opened fire on five girls, then committed suicide on Oct. 2 at an Amish schoolhouse in Nickel Mines, Pa.

He described Roberts as having a calm, flat voice as he refused an operator's request to hold on and be transferred to the Pennsylvania State Police. Roberts repeated his two-second demand, then hung up.

The district attorney transcribed the 911 calls from the day of the killing. He said there's no indication that anyone else in the school can be heard.

But the public won't actually hear any of it. The district attorney's office refused to release the audio, with one assistant prosecutor saying the contents of the tape would be "salacious."

Other transcripts include a call from Roberts' wife, expressing repeated concern he would kill himself, and a farmer's call initially reporting a man with a gun in the school. That farmer was Amos Smoker.

In some cases where the transcript indicates the line went dead, it is because the call was transferred to state police and was not recorded by Lancaster County, the prosecutor's office said.

911 tape Oct. 2, 2006

10:35:29

911 dispatcher: Lancaster County 911, do you need police, fire or ambulance?

Smoker: Yes, this is Amos Smoker.

911 dispatcher: OK.

Smoker: There's a, there's a guy in the school with a gun.

911 dispatcher: OK, what, what, what school? Were at?

Smoker: White Oak Road.

911 dispatcher: What city, township or borough is that in?

Smoker: How's that?

911 dispatcher: What city, township or borough is that in?

Smoker: Bart Township.

911 dispatcher: OK, stay on the line. It's state police.

Smoker: OK.

(Call being transferred to state police)

State Police PCO: State Police Dispatch Center.

Smoker: Yes, this is Amos Smoker. (Line goes dead)

10:41:35

911 dispatcher: Lancaster County 911.

Caller: Did someone call in for police at a school?

911 dispatcher: What school? What school was it?

Caller: West Nickel Mines School.

911 dispatcher: Nickel Mines School, somebody with a gun?

Caller: Yes.

911 dispatcher: Hold on one second. Did you call before? We transferred to state police.

Caller: OK, someone's coming out.

911 dispatcher: Well, I don't know, I'm going to transfer you, OK? I don't dispatch them here. Hold on. Does anybody need an ambulance, do you know?

Caller: I don't know.

911 dispatcher: OK, hold on. Is he in the school?

Caller: I don't know nothing. I don't know.

911 dispatcher: Alright, hold on.

(Call being transferred to state police)

911 dispatcher: Is this Amish school?

Caller: Yes, it is.

911 dispatcher: In Bart Township?

Caller: Yes.

Pennsylvania State Police PCO: Pennsylvania State Police, PCO Campbell, hello.

911 dispatcher: Go ahead, sir.

PCO Campbell: Sir, go ahead, state police. (Line goes dead)

10:55:38

911 dispatcher: Lancaster County 911, do you need police, fire or ambulance? Hello. Your cell phone is cutting in and out. Do you have an emergency?

Roberts : Yes.

911 dispatcher: OK, what's the address of the emergency?

Roberts : It's on White Oak Road. I just took, uh, 10 girls hostage, and I want everybody off the property or, or else.

911 dispatcher: OK, all right.

Roberts: Now.

911 dispatcher: Hold on a second. Hello?

Roberts : Yeah.

911 dispatcher: OK, what's the problem there?

Roberts: Don't try to talk me out of it. Get them all off the property now.

911 dispatcher: Sir, I want you to stay on the phone with me, OK? I'm going to let the state police down there. I need to let you talk to them, OK? Can I transfer you to them?

Roberts: No, you tell them and that's it. Right now, or they're dead, in two seconds.

911 dispatcher: (To unidentified person at County-Wide Communications): He won't let me transfer. (To Roberts): Hang on a minute, we're trying to tell them, OK?

Roberts: Two seconds, that's it.

911 dispatcher: Sir, listen to me. Listen... (Line goes dead)

10:58:39

911 dispatcher: Lancaster County 911.

Roberts: Yes, my name is Marie Roberts. My husband just called me on his cell phone and told me that he wasn't going to be coming home and that the police were there and not to worry about it. And I have no idea what he is talking about, but I am really scared. And I wondered if, how I find out what's going on?

911 dispatcher: OK, where are you calling me from?

Marie Roberts: I'm calling from my home.

911 dispatcher: And what's that address?

Marie Roberts: 1084 Georgetown Road.

911 dispatcher: What township, city or borough is that?

Marie Roberts: Bart Township.

911 dispatcher: OK, and your husband didn't tell you where he was?

Marie Roberts: No, he didn't.

911 dispatcher: He called you on his cell phone?

Marie Roberts: Yes, he did.

911 dispatcher: OK, and, and all he said to you was that --

Roberts: "I'm not coming home." Um, he was upset about something that had happened 20 years ago, and he said he was getting revenge for it. I don't think he was getting revenge on another person. I'm worried that maybe he was trying to commit suicide.

911 dispatcher: OK, hang on the line. I'm going to transfer you to the state police, OK?

Roberts: Thank you.

911 dispatcher: Hang on a second..

(Call being transferred to state police)

PCO Bowerman: State Police Dispatch PCO Bowerman

Marie Roberts: My name is Marie Roberts. My husband just called me and said that he wasn't coming home and that the police were there and that he left notes for myself and my children and I'm worried that he tried to commit suicide somewhere. And --

PCO Bowerman : What's his name?

Marie Roberts: Charlie Roberts.

PCO Bowerman: OK, what's, let me ask you a question. Hold on for one second please.

Marie Roberts: Yeah.

PCO Bowerman: You said your name again was?

Marie Roberts: Marie Roberts.

PCO Bowerman: Marie Roberts, thank you.

PCO Bowerman: Ma'am, let me ask you a question: What kind of vehicle does your husband drive?

Marie Roberts: He was using my grandpa's pickup, it's a GMC.

PCO Bowerman: Color?

Marie Roberts: Blue.

PCO Bowerman: Blue GMC.

Marie Roberts: Yeah.

PCO Bowerman: One second. OK. Ma'am, what's your husband's name?

Marie Roberts: Charlie Roberts.

PCO Bowerman: Charlie Roberts. And what does he look like?

Marie Roberts: He is 6 foot 2, short brown, you know, like, buzzed brown hair. Um, he is 32 years old, wears glasses. I guess he's like maybe 195 pounds.

PCO Bowerman: OK, you say he left notes?

Marie Roberts: Yes.

PCO Bowerman: What did the notes say?

Marie Roberts: Like, the thought of not my children, not seeing them grow up, like, let's see. I'm not even sure -- here it is: "My daughter Abigail, I want you to know that I love you and I'm sorry I couldn't be here to watch you grow up." That's how the notes start.

PCO Bowerman: OK, hold on one moment. (Line goes dead)

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