Listener, in this episode of Obscura, we examine a harrowing 9-1-1 call from a Detroit police sergeant determined to end his life by “suicide by cop.” The tragic standoff unfolds with raw dispatch audio, revealing how a degenerative illness and mounting despair lead to a violent confrontation that injures two officers and ends in a fatal shooting. Join us as we shine a light on the darkness within these tapes—exploring the heartbreak, the high stakes, and the haunting aftermath for everyone involved.

On February 4, 2021, at approximately 1:00 p.m., an individual called 911 to report a woman with two children walking in the middle of Alta Sierra Drive, near Gibboney Lane. The caller reported that as she was driving out of her street, she saw a loose dog as well as a woman with two kids. The caller indicated she asked the woman if it was her dog and “she was really weird about it”.

A property manager spots two teens entering the Park De Ville Apartments. This area of Houston is considered particularly dangerous. It has a crime safety score of F. The stretch of road includes a payday loan business, a run-down self-serve car wash, and you can see the garbage strewn sidewalks from google maps. The Property manager calls 911 to report the break in and Officers are dispatched.