911 call reveals details during trial of man accused of killing police officer
WISH-TV is streaming portions of the trial, as determined by the judge, on its Facebook page.
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The prosecution rested Wednesday in the trial of an Indianapolis man accused of fatally shooting an Indianapolis police officer in 2020.
Elliahs Dorsey is accused of the fatal shooting of officer Breann Leath while she and other officers responded to a domestic dispute just after 2:45 p.m. April 9, 2020, in the 1800 block of Edinburge Square. That’s in an apartment complex located southeast of the I-70 interchange with I-465.
New details emerged Wednesday as the jury heard 911 calls made on the day the 24-year-old Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officer was killed.
Aisha Brown took the stand Wednesday. She’s the other person who was shot on the day Leath was killed. Brown testified that she and Dorsey both smoked marijuana on the morning the shooting happened.
During testimony, two different 911 tapes were played: one before officer Leath was shot, and another after she was shot.
Dorsey: “You ever had the feeling where you think someone has been trying to kill you all day?”
Dispatcher: “No, I have not. Do you want to go to the hospital?
After that call, police arrived and knocked on the door of an apartment without announcing that they were police. Dorsey opened fire, killing Leath.
That’s when Brown opened the door and tried to run away. Dorsey shot Brown in the leg and back. Brown called 911 again. That’s when Dorsey took the phone from her.
Dorsey: “Officer, I’m coming outside right now. Please do not kill me.”
Dispatcher: “Do you have a gun?”
Dorsey: “Yes, I’m putting it down right now.”
Dispatcher: “Put it down, and keep your hands up, and do everything the guys out there are saying, OK?”
After being arrested, detectives interviewed Dorsey, and a recording of that interview was played in court. He told them that he thought someone had been coming to kill him.
In the interview, Dorsey said, “When I saw the police officer right there, like right at the door, I thought, ‘Oh, my God.’ That’s all I was thinking.”
The interviewer responded, “”Was that the first time you knew the police was outside?”
Dorsey responded, “That’s the very first time.”
Dorsey told detectives he had been having mental issues for over a year, but added that he had not been officially diagnosed with a mental health disorder. He said he knew something was going on though.
After the prosecution rested, the defense on Wednesday started to call its witnesses. So far, the defense only called police officers to the stand. Those officers testified that Dorsey was polite to them and had told them that he felt like he had been set up and people were trying to kill him.
Defense attorneys in opening arguments on Monday had told the jury they intend to prove that Dorsey is innocent by reason of insanity.
The trial will resume Thursday morning in Marion Superior Court 32 on the Indianapolis-Marion County Community Justice Campus.
This story was created from a script aired on WISH-TV.
Previous coverage
- Murder trial begins for man accused of killing IMPD officer Breann Leath
- Police testify at trial for suspect in murder of Officer Breann Leath
Mental health resources
- Be Well Indiana
- Indiana Suicide Prevention
- Indiana Department of Child Services’ Children’s Mental Health Initiative
- National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988 or 800-273-8255
- More resources