Apple Watch saves cop stabbed during an arrest

Posted:
in Apple Watch
The Apple Watch has been credited with helping the life of a police officer stabbed in Arizona, by allowing him to speak to his dispatcher when his radio failed to function properly.




In a Facebook video published on Friday, the Pinal County Sherriff's Office shares radio recordings and an interview with Sgt. Sosa of the Superior Police Department, about an incident that occurred in February. The video explains that Sosa was attempting to arrest a wanted felon, one that turned out badly for the sergeant.

After catching up with the suspect, Sosa was then confronted, and then struggled to bring the man to the ground. However, during the pursuit, Sosa's microphone unplugged from the radio, which combined with holding the suspect on the ground, made it impossible to get back in contact with dispatcher Gloria Wheeler.



Repeated attempts by Wheeler to contact over the radio eventually led to a phone call, which Sosa was able to answer from his Apple Watch. Sosa was then able to request assistance from other officers to complete the arrest.

At this time, the suspect had managed to reach into their pocket to pull out a knife, which he used to stab Sosa in the leg. Using the open call, Sosa updated dispatch on the need for an ambulance, which was summoned to his location.

Wheeler received an award for her actions which helped save the life of Sosa that day. "The dispatcher saved my life because I was able to continue fighting, and she was able to send resources I needed out there," Sosa explained.

The Apple Watch has been connected to many different incidents where a life was saved, such as the 2017 case of a woman calling 911 from her Apple Watch following a car accident, when her iPhone was out of reach. Its other functionality, including fall detection and heart-related features, have also been credited for helping save lives.
AniMill

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 14
    I’m surprised AI didn’t shut this comment section 
    JWSC
  • Reply 2 of 14
    Mike WuertheleMike Wuerthele Posts: 6,861administrator
    We're trying to keep everything open, but forum-goer behavior is deteriorating.

    Given some of the forum rule-breaking nonsense that's already been posted and deleted, we're pretty close to a shutdown here.
    edited September 2020 watto_cobraqwerty52
  • Reply 3 of 14
    The main reason I bought the Apple Watch was for emergency 911 calling. 

    But I've had another good reason to have it. In March 2020, during the COVID panic, my Apple Watch warned me of a heart concern (that I likely would not have noticed without the Watch) and I called my doctor who said to go to the emergency room. I've had many tests, which are still ongoing, but it wasn't a diagnosis with a high probability of fatality (so I can't definitely say that the Watch "saved my life") but it still does require ongoing treatment. Not every health alert that the Watch gives will actually be a life saving alert, but this alert certainly made a difference for me.

    So I'm definitely a fan of the Watch. I'll decline to offer my exact diagnosis. No need to offer details.

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  • Reply 4 of 14
    We're trying to keep everything open, but forum-goer behavior is deteriorating.

    Given some of the forum rule-breaking nonsense that's already been posted and deleted, we're pretty close to a shutdown here.
    Just curious to know which thread had all the non-sense which I missed? I just went through the Apple CEO succession planning thread - plenty of non-sense left alone there. So would be stunned to know that even more non-sense of higher magnitude was posted and deleted in one of the other threads.
  • Reply 5 of 14

    Hehe, when I first saw this article, I was thinking that the Officer was skillfully blocking the knife with his Apple Watch.....

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  • Reply 6 of 14
    Mike WuertheleMike Wuerthele Posts: 6,861administrator
    We're trying to keep everything open, but forum-goer behavior is deteriorating.

    Given some of the forum rule-breaking nonsense that's already been posted and deleted, we're pretty close to a shutdown here.
    Just curious to know which thread had all the non-sense which I missed? I just went through the Apple CEO succession planning thread - plenty of non-sense left alone there. So would be stunned to know that even more non-sense of higher magnitude was posted and deleted in one of the other threads.
    So much nonsense in general, but this one was replete with it.
    edited September 2020 watto_cobraqwerty52
  • Reply 7 of 14

    Hehe, when I first saw this article, I was thinking that the Officer was skillfully blocking the knife with his Apple Watch.....

    That's exactly what I thought, some sort of Ninja-cop. Then as I read on, I thought he made a call with it. Still wrong.

    Knowing what people will think is an art. I once wanted to get the license plate "Silicon" for my Honda "Element" which I thought was very witty but when I ran that idea past a bunch of people they thought the plate read "Silicone" and they thought it meant I was a doctor of silicone implants.
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  • Reply 8 of 14
    All I did was make a political statement.
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  • Reply 9 of 14
    cloudguy said:
    All I did was make a political statement.
    I think right now we’re all a little saturated with political statements.

    This event highlights the often underestimated benefit of the “Dick Tracy watch” communicator capability of the Apple Watch. 
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  • Reply 10 of 14
    Most people (even phone salespeople, when I ask them as a test of their knowledge) are oblivious to the fact that you can call 911 on any cellphone even if you don't have a phone contract (usually the largest carrier carries 911 calls, and they get reimbursed by the government for having to carry all 911 calls.) But I've never tested that on an Apple Watch (or any eSIM device) without a contract. I presume it would work too. Anyone know?
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 14
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,093member
    We're trying to keep everything open, but forum-goer behavior is deteriorating.

    Given some of the forum rule-breaking nonsense that's already been posted and deleted, we're pretty close to a shutdown here.
    Mods have it tough.  I'm a moderator on Nextdoor and honestly, there are so many a******s out there that have nothing better to do than take a thread about something completely innocent and turn it into their own personal soapbox and start slinging mud at the world.  

    It's a thankless job and I certainly sympathize with what you guys have to deal with.  There are many of those same kind of people infesting these threads too.  I know that doing the kind of moderating necessary to remove all the comments can borderline be a full-time job, but at times I really do wish that instead of shutting a thread down, delete all those hateful and rude comments instead to send a message that cleaning house will be the norm, and "free-speech" applies to the governments, not private forums.

    I want to know about how the Apple Watch helped this person in his time of need, and zero about the political issues.  There's already enough of that out in the world, I don't want it here.  Sure, I can simply not read the comment, but when there's countless of them, I have zero problem with deleting them if they are not contributing to the subject.  Cry me a river if your political comment gets deleted.

    Either way, you mods get my support when you bring the broom out!

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  • Reply 12 of 14
    cloudguy said:
    All I did was make a political statement.
    You didn't commit a crime, but you didn't follow AppleInsider's rule #13, which is:
    13. Don't turn a thread into a partisan political discussion.
    Just like Apple's App store, there are rules. The store owner makes the rules. There is no freedom of speech on someone else's website or app store. The freedom they can't take away from you is to go to someone else's store. And yet I've spent most of the last week arguing with people that they cannot use the law to force Apple to change their App Store rules. AppleInsider has one rule that bans a certain two word phrase which I think is a very silly rule, but what choice do I have? None.

    It's their website and they'll ban if they want to.
    I.e,

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  • Reply 13 of 14
    GG1GG1 Posts: 483member
    sflocal said:
    We're trying to keep everything open, but forum-goer behavior is deteriorating.

    Given some of the forum rule-breaking nonsense that's already been posted and deleted, we're pretty close to a shutdown here.
    Mods have it tough.  I'm a moderator on Nextdoor and honestly, there are so many a******s out there that have nothing better to do than take a thread about something completely innocent and turn it into their own personal soapbox and start slinging mud at the world.  

    It's a thankless job and I certainly sympathize with what you guys have to deal with.  There are many of those same kind of people infesting these threads too.  I know that doing the kind of moderating necessary to remove all the comments can borderline be a full-time job, but at times I really do wish that instead of shutting a thread down, delete all those hateful and rude comments instead to send a message that cleaning house will be the norm, and "free-speech" applies to the governments, not private forums.

    I want to know about how the Apple Watch helped this person in his time of need, and zero about the political issues.  There's already enough of that out in the world, I don't want it here.  Sure, I can simply not read the comment, but when there's countless of them, I have zero problem with deleting them if they are not contributing to the subject.  Cry me a river if your political comment gets deleted.

    Either way, you mods get my support when you bring the broom out!

    Agree. AI mods do a great job.

    Continue to sweep any and all political comments from now till Feb 2021, no exceptions!
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  • Reply 14 of 14
    The main reason I bought the Apple Watch was for emergency 911 calling. 

    But I've had another good reason to have it. In March 2020, during the COVID panic, my Apple Watch warned me of a heart concern (that I likely would not have noticed without the Watch) and I called my doctor who said to go to the emergency room. I've had many tests, which are still ongoing, but it wasn't a diagnosis with a high probability of fatality (so I can't definitely say that the Watch "saved my life") but it still does require ongoing treatment. Not every health alert that the Watch gives will actually be a life saving alert, but this alert certainly made a difference for me.

    So I'm definitely a fan of the Watch. I'll decline to offer my exact diagnosis. No need to offer details.


    That is definitely why I upgraded from a Series one (which I got for exercise tracking) to a Series 4 with LTE.   Well, the ability to call as well as its fall detection.

    I live alone and I often run or cycle alone and, being nurse, I know what happens when somebody falls and lays there for a few days because they can't get up.
    Compared to those devices for old people, (of which I am one) the Apple Watch is simply light years ahead.   If nothing else, you can wear it all day and all night -- even in the shower.  I even started wearing it at night just in case I need to get up in the dark and go downstairs to the bathroom.  I feel a lot safer knowing that, if I tumble down those steps I have have a safety factor.   And, when I'm out running in the woods or even just cutting the grass I know I can call for help if I need it (or the watch will!)

    I kind of feel that almost everybody should be wearing one!

    That said:  I'm glad that it caught your condition and I'm sure it has done that for many.   But I kind of feel that it's greatest benefit lies in prompting people to get out and exercise so they are less likely to need alerts that something is amiss!  

    Best of luck to you!   I hope that all goes well for you!

    p.s.  I wouldn't say that this cop was lucky.    I would say that he was smart!    If I worked in a hazardous job like that you can bet that I would be wearing one!
    edited September 2020 JWSCmuthuk_vanalingamwatto_cobraqwerty52GG1
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