Deptford Police Officer James Stuart called police dispatch claiming his friend David Compton was shot in the face while “playing with” one of the officer’s weapons, according to a redacted transcript released today.
Stuart, 29, of Deptford, is charged with the murder of 27-year-old Compton, of Woodbury, after the Jan. 5 incident.
Last month a judge ordered that Stuart’s emergency call be transcribed, with Compton’s voice redacted, before the edited six-page transcript was released.
In the 5 a.m. emergency call to the Deptford Police Department, Stuart calls for an ambulance at his Stanford Avenue home in Deptford.
“He was playing with a weapon. It was loaded and there was a shot fired,” Stuart told Patricia Warlow with police communications. “I don’t know how it happened.”
Stuart then goes on to tell police dispatchers that he is putting pressure on Compton’s cheek.
Stuart identifies himself to dispatchers as an officer by what is believed to be his police badge number.
Before an ambulance and police were called to the scene, dispatchers spent several seconds discussing the possibility of a hoax.
“I mean, I don’t know if this shift does it, but I know the other shifts will mess around late in the morning, and it called on the side phone so I ....” Warlow told Deptford Police Sgt. Edward Kiermeier.
“It doesn’t sound like he’s joking around,” Elliot Davis, a Fire EMS communications worker responded over the radio.
PATRICIA WARLOW, POLICE COMMUNICATIONS : Police Communications.
JAMES STUART : I need an ambulance 262 Stanford Road. We got a shooting.
WARLOW : Hello?
STUART : Hey it’s 5238, I need an ambulance at 262 Stanford Road right now.
WARLOW : 262 Stanford?
STUART : Yes.
WARLOW : What happened?
STUART : We had a, a, a man, he was ah playing with a weapon, it was
loaded and ah he, there was a shot fired.
WARLOW : Okay and who…
STUART : He was shot…
WARLOW : And who is this?
STUART : This is 5238, James Stuart.
WARLOW : Okay was anyone hurt?
STUART : Yes, yes we have a man who is shot in his cheek.
WARLOW : In the sheets?
STUART : Cheek, yes.
WARLOW : Is this your house?
STUART : Yes, yes it is.
WARLOW : 262 Stanford.
STUART : Yes it is.
EMS DISPATCHER : County.
WARLOW : Stand by.
STUART : They on the way? I got pressure on his cheek right now.
WARLOW : Alright hold on…
STUART : (Indiscernible) Thank you.
EMS DISPATCHER : You can send that call out. Um he said he heard some banging
about a half an hour ago, everything was normal.
WARLOW : Hold on I’m gonna pass you over to the ambulance too. Who is it?
WARLOW : Was it a family member of yours?
STUART : No a friend, a friend.
WARLOW : Alright hold on one second.
ELLIOT DAVIS, FIRE EMS COMMUNICATIONS : Communications, Davis.
WARLOW : Hey for a, mm 262 Stanford, I’m putting it in now. One of our officers
said his friend got shot in the cheek.
DAVIS : What?
WARLOW : He, yeah, he’s gonna be on the line.
DAVIS : Okay.
(Lines 15 through and including 20 above are repeated on the tape one time.)
DAVIS : Hello?
STUART : Hey…
DAVIS : Hey how is it going out there?
STUART : He’s okay. I’m holding pressure on his cheek.
DAVIS : You called what? I’m sorry.
STUART : I’m holding pressure on his cheek right now.
DAVIS : Did it go completely through or…
STUART : Ah it’s in his cheek right now; I don’t know where it went through.
DAVIS : Okay and did you get, and how’d this happen?
STUART : Huh?
DAVIS : How did this happen?
STUART : Ah he was, he was playing with one of my weapons, I, I don’t
know how it happened, I don’t know.
DAVIS : Okay. Alright you got any ah, a clean towel you can put on it
STUART : Ah, I’m sorry?
DAVIS : Yeah, do you got a clean towel that you can put on it because it’s
STUART : Yeah I’m putting something on his cheek right now.
DAVIS : Okay. And it was, what was the address, 262 Stanford?
STUART : 262 Stanford, yes.
DAVIS : Okay. Alright, just keep ah a, just get the towel and put it on there. Ah
what’s your name? Hello?
DAVIS : You still there?
STUART : (Indiscernible) chart.
DAVIS : Okay you got that, you got that towel for him?
STUART : Yep I’m holding it onto his neck.
DAVIS : Okay. And it was just in the, in the cheek?
STUART : Yes in the cheek.
DAVIS : It didn’t go like, not in the jaw or nothing like that?
STUART : I’m sorry?
DAVIS : Okay, alright, what’s your name?
STUART : Stuart, James Stuart.
DAVIS : Alright.
STUART : Wait.
DAVIS : Alright James, we’ll have an ambulance right out there for you
okay? You still there James?
STUART : Yeah I’m here.
DAVIS : Alright, it’s Elliott man, we’ll get, we’ll have an ambulance right out there
for you, okay?
STUART : Thank you.
DAVIS : Alright bye, see ya.
STUART : See ya.
WARLOW : Police Communications.
DEPTFORD POLICE SGT. EDWARD KIERMEIER : Hey it’s 155.
WARLOW : Hey, I don’t know if it’s, okay I just wanted to make sure, do you
know, 262 Stanford, is that 236’s house?
KIERMEIER : Ah shoot, I, who 236, who’s that?
WARLOW : 2, I don’t know, 23, he said it’s 236, I just wanted to make sure
before I put it out over the radio that the guys weren’t messing
and saying, he said that his friend shot himself in the cheek.
KIERMEIER : What?
WARLOW : Yeah. He said this is 236, so before I put it out on the radio I just
wanted to make sure it wasn’t your guys messing around.
KIERMEIER : I’m trying to think who, who’s 5236.
WARLOW : I don’t know. 2, 262 Stanford.
KIERMEIER : 262, I’ll call you right back then. Let me, 262 Stanford and 5236?
WARLOW : Yeah.
KIERMEIER : Hold on one sec.
WARLOW : Alright.
KIERMEIER : Anybody copy me on 2? Don’t everybody answer at once.
WARLOW : I mean I don’t know if this shift does it but I know the other
shifts will like mess around late in the morning and it called on the
side phone so I…
KIERMEIER : Anybody copy that? Ah anybody copy me on 2?
UNK OFFICER : (Indiscernible).
WARLOW : Yeah okay.
UNK OFFICER : Go ahead Sarge.
KIERMEIER : Who’s 5236?
UNK OFFICER : Torrado.
KIERMEIER : Okay. Do we know who lives at 262 Stanford?
WARLOW : Hold on, I’m getting a call from the alarm room, alright?
KIERMEIER : Okay.
WARLOW : Yeah go ahead.
DAVIS : Was it 262 Stanford?
WARLOW : 262, is it, okay from the way it sounded I didn’t know if it was one of
my officers joking around or not.
DAVIS : Oh I don’t know. It doesn’t sound like he’s joking around at all.
WARLOW : Alright.
DAVIS : It’s James Stuart there so…
KIERMEIER : Okay.
DAVIS : Alright I’m loading it now.
WARLOW : Alright thank you.
DAVIS : Alright see ya.
WARLOW : Alright James Stuart too, Officer Stuart?
KIERMEIER : Yeah.
WARLOW : He’s out there too.
KIERMEIER : Alright we’ll be heading out there. I’ll get, I’ll just have a bunch of
people head out there.
WARLOW : Alright do you want me to put it out or no?
KIERMEIER : No hold off on that.
WARLOW : Alright. 262 Stanford, someone was shot in the cheek…
KIERMEIER : Okay.
WARLOW : And Stuart’s there.
KIERMEIER : Alright.
WARLOW : Alright bye.
KIERMEIER : Bye.