911 operators questioned whether Christa Pike failed execution call was prank, audio reveals

911 dispatch recordings show a series of miscommunications led to delayed emergency response in the immediate aftermath of the Tennessee Department of Correction’s failed execution of death row inmate Christa Pike.

An initial 911 call came through to dispatchers around 8:40 p.m. on Sept.

30, roughly an hour after Pike’s planned execution began, according to the Associated Press (AP).

During the call, the unidentified caller informed operators of a failed execution, but was unable to provide the operators with a code that would verify the legitimacy of the call.

Following that call, operators sought to determine the authenticity, audio shows.

TENNESSEE DEATH ROW INMATE SURVIVES 2 LETHAL INJECTION DOSES IN FAILED EXECUTION ATTEMPT "So we have a medical call for service at the Riverbend Prison," a dispatcher says in the AP-obtained audio.

The dispatcher explains to another operator that the caller said "they carried out the execution, the subject didn’t pass away and they need an ambulance because she’s not breathing normally." DEATH ROW INMATE UNCONSCIOUS ON VENTILATOR AFTER BOTCHED EXECUTION FOR TEEN’S KILLING: ATTORNEYS "We are trying to find out if that is an actual thing that is happening and we need to send an ambulance, and/or if you need police assistance, or if this is someone that is just basically prank calling or like swatting us," the operator can be heard saying.

In another snippet of internal dispatcher audio, an operator can be heard calling off the emergency response.

TENNESSEE PRISON CHIEF RESIGNS AFTER FAILED EXECUTION AS FORMER US ATTORNEY TAPPED TO LEAD INDEPENDENT REVIEW "Per supervisors here at the DEC (Department of Emergency Communications) we have been informed it is a false call," a dispatcher can be heard saying at approximately 9:03 p.m.

"There is no medical assistance needed at Riverbend Prison." An additional correspondence between an operator and what appears to be somebody working at Riverbend Prison displayed further confusion.

CHRISTA PIKE'S FIRST WORDS REVEALED AFTER SHE UNEXPECTEDLY WOKE UP WHILE LAWYERS THOUGHT SHE WAS 'BRAIN DEAD' "We got a call about a failed execution at your guys’ facility and we’re just calling to verify," a dispatcher said.

"Um… who called you?" the prison employee responded.

"Is there like a sergeant I could speak with, or a supervisor?" the dispatcher asked.

"Who called you? Do you know?" the employee said.