Couple attacked outside Arrowhead questions emergency response and 911 hold time
John Scaletty questions emergency response and 911 hold time after he was attacked outside Arrowhead Stadium.
By Angie Ricono
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KANSAS CITY, Missouri (KCTV) — John and Brandi Scaletty describe a random attack by a group of men outside Arrowhead Stadium prior to Saturday’s Luke Combs concert that started with someone opening the hatch to their SUV. Others opened the car doors.
John jumped outside the SUV, questioning if maybe people had the wrong car, when he was attacked by complete strangers.
They yanked him to the ground by his feet and began attacking him. He describes being punched, strangled, and seeing men attack his wife out of the corner of his eye.
“I was worried about my wife. I couldn’t get up. I couldn’t defend myself. I couldn’t do anything, and I saw them go after my wife. I felt like I failed,” said John Scaletty.
His wife tried to pull the three to five men off her husband and screamed for help.
John and Brandi are speaking out about the senseless attack, hoping the attackers will be found.
“It’s terrifying. There is no safety there. It was devastating to even describe this to my kids,” said John Scaletty.
They also question what happened next when they called for help.
John and Brandi sat on hold for more than four minutes, according to 911 records, before connecting with a call taker. The couple reported to KCTV5 it felt even longer.
“I realized how bad of shape he was in and grabbed the phone and sat there in disbelief… I couldn’t believe I was still waiting,” said Brandi Scaletty. “It was horrifying. You feel helpless.”
Their timeline for help makes them openly question security at Arrowhead and what happens when people face emergencies in Kansas City.
The couple claims security took 15-20 minutes to even show up, police and fire response was much later… and they estimate it was almost an hour before an ambulance arrived.
John has a shattered ankle and will need future surgery. He has a swollen jaw, a black eye, and cuts and scrapes. He expects to be out of work for months due to his broken ankle.
“I just hope there is some sort of justice. I don’t want this to happen to anyone else,” said John Scaletty.
KCTV5 has reached out to the KCPD to get firm details about response time. But, the couple is not alone in experiencing incredible wait times for help.
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas calls the city’s extreme 911 hold time problem a true emergency.
His mother recently needed help and his sister experienced a five-minute hold time.
The most recent data from May shows 7,940 people sat on hold with 911 for more than five minutes. The average hold time is now a full minute for anyone needing emergency help in Kansas City.
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