NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A judge has ruled that the city of Nashville can be held liable for mistakes made by 911 dispatchers while responding to emergencies.
The ruling was made during a hearing regarding a lawsuit filed after the deadly Waffle House shooting in 2018.
Metro dispatchers initially sent responding officers to the wrong Waffle House location, delaying help for the several people injured inside the restaurant.
The family of one of the victims, Akilah DaSilva filed a lawsuit against the city, saying they hope the same fatal mistakes don't happen again.
In June, the city filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, but on Friday, the judge denied that request. The order is expected to be signed within the next few days.
Daniel Horwitz, the attorney for the DaSilva family, released the following statement:
"The DaSilva family remains heartbroken by this preventable tragedy and takes no pleasure in this lawsuit. Given that David Briley's Administration has repeatedly refused even to acknowledge the errors that took place or take any action that would prevent the same fatal mistakes that resulted in Akilah DaSilva's death from recurring, however, the DaSilva family feels compelled to hold Metro to account for its errors and help prevent others from dying needlessly in the future."
