Text 911 technology credited with saving woman's life

Image 1 of 10

Brookhaven police said their text 911 system saved a woman’s life. Investigators said last month, a domestic violence victim alerted dispatch that she was being held hostage.

On August 24, Brookhaven police arrested and charged David Renard Devaughn after investigators said he held a woman hostage in an apartment off of Buford Highway. Investigators said they were able to catch him in the act after the woman texted 911.

“This is a case where the victim wasn’t able to call 911 but by texting, she was able to get the help that she needed,” said Brookhaven Police Sgt. David Snively.

Police said the victim did not speak English. She texted dispatchers in Spanish but investigators said it was a team effort while some worked to translate the texts, the others worked to determine her location.

It took dispatchers and police almost an hour to finally pinpoint the woman’s location at this apartment complex.

“Eventually, they were able to narrow it down to a single building,” said Sgt. Snively. “They were able to hear a physical fight.”

Luckily, they got there in time before the woman was harmed. But investigators said this is also a reminder that time is critical in any emergency. Knowing a location will help cut down on the response time and take the guesswork out of first responders’ hands.

 “We want an exact address, an apartment number or two streets that intersect,” said Sgt. Snively.