Ombudsman presses police on dispatch ping, short hallway interval and less-lethal options

Willard Ewing, the ombudsman appointed to represent both the public and the Walsh family, questioned Detective Tommaso about dispatch procedures and officers' on-scene positioning. Ewing noted that dispatch's ping covered a building (9265 West Russell Road) rather than a specific apartment and that officers searched multiple buildings before locating Apartment 460—facts Tommaso said contributed to a delay between the 07:34:32 911 text and the shooting around 08:00.

Ewing asked whether knowledge of the decedent's bipolar disorder, prescribed medications and alcohol consumption might have altered the officers' response. Tommaso said "it's possible, but I can't say for sure" whether advance knowledge would have changed the outcome. When asked whether officers are less likely to use less-lethal force when a subject has a handgun, Tommaso responded, "They're not gonna meet that with less lethal force when somebody's armed with a deadly weapon."