Colorado Springs woman alleges police ignored 911 calls prior to her husband being killed

On Thursday, the family of a slain man in Colorado Springs questioned police as to why they ignored the 911 calls from the victim's wife before his death. 

Talija Campbell called 911 after receiving a text message from her husband Qualin that showed a picture of him in the car with another man, with the words, "911, Send please!" written. 

According to a KUSA, Campbell had called the police around 1 p.m. and told them that she believed that her husband had been kidnapped while providing them with his location. Campbell said she spoke to two different dispatchers who told her they would check on the issue and then get back to her. However, she felt there was no sense of urgency from either one. 

Cambell ended up driving to the location herself, where she found her husband slumped over in his work car without a pulse after being shot in the abdomen.

"I shouldn’t have been the one there, the first person to respond," she said.

"All I wanted was someone to check on my husband ... It was their job to come and save him."

The Colorado Springs Police Blotter said that "on June 2, 2023, at approximately 2:09 PM, (an hour after Talija Campbell called 911) Officers were dispatched to 1500 S. Nevada Ave. to investigate a shooting. Upon arrival, they located two deceased, adult males." 

"They didn't respond at all to her call, for help for hostage, they responded after 'shots been fired'," said Harry Daniels, an attorney for the Cambell family, during a press conference on June 8. "I can’t think of anything that could take higher precedence than a hostage situation, except maybe an active shooter." 

The Colorado Springs Police Department declined to comment on the matter. Police spokesperson Robert Tornabene said there was an "open and active criminal investigation," ongoing and he is not able to comment on it.  

The family launched a GoFundMe page to aid them "in meeting their obligations and adjusting to life without an incredible husband and father." They are also considering their options to file a lawsuit.