Nine 911 calls made before Zapata shot

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) - 911 tapes are giving more insight into what led up to the deadly shooting of Kalamazoo Public Safety Officer Eric Zapata.

Zapata was among the officers sent to investigate reports of shots fired in April 2011 in the Edison neighborhood.

During the first 911 call, dispatchers wondered if a neighbor was hearing fireworks. Police were sent to the check the area anyway.

After that first call, eight others were made reporting shots.

911 Caller: "Yeah, there's somebody shooting over here on the corner of Hays Park and-"
Dispatcher: "We're already on the way, sir. Do you have a description of the guy?  
Caller: "I have no idea. Yeah, there it goes again."

Zapata was not the first officer to arrive on the scene. He pursued Danny Statler, who had fired the original shots and then fled.

After scaling a fence into an alley near the scene of the call, Zapata was shot by Statler. Zapata had no time to pull his gun after Statler ambushed him in the alley.

Statler then killed himself.

Not long after that, word quickly spread that Zapata had died, despite efforts to save him.

Caller: "Hey, our officer has passed away."
Dispatcher: "Who is it? Do you have a name?"
Caller: "Zapata."

An internal investigation found officers acted appropriately during that call.