A 56-year-old woman was rushed to a Cleveland hospital in serious condition yesterday evening after emergency crews found her with multiple penetrating wounds. The initial dispatch suggested she might have been shot, but radio traffic later included in a video reel describes five separate penetrating injuries that “appeared” to have been caused by a blow dart rather than a firearm. Police are investigating how the woman was injured.
The dispatch audio and notes are captured in a reel posted by the Cleveland, Ohio Remembrance Page, which reports that first responders noted five penetrating injuries that apparently looked like the result of a blow dart, not gunfire. The clip also records that the woman was listed in serious condition as EMS transported her and that officers were already on scene to start the investigation.
How dangerous are blow-dart injuries?
Injuries from small projectiles such as blow darts do not show up in crime reports every day, but when they do, they can be anything but minor. Surgeons have documented cases in which a dart entered a child’s nose and lodged near the base of her skull, a delicate operation that required multiple specialty teams to remove safely, according to Riley Children’s Health. Animal-welfare advocates have also tracked blow-dart attacks on pets and wildlife, some of which have triggered criminal investigations in various jurisdictions, per Alley Cat Allies.
Police probe and limited details
The report notes that Cleveland police are investigating but offers little in the way of specifics. The available dispatch audio does not state where in the city the injured woman was found, how the suspected blow dart might have been used, or whether officers have any suspects. There is no mention in the clip of a public call for witnesses or a description of anyone who may have been involved.
Those are the details confirmed on the recording reviewed for this story. The dispatch audio does not include an exact location or any formal statement from Cleveland police or EMS. This article will be updated if authorities release additional information or issue an official account of what happened.
