A Colorado Springs woman who received a desperate text from her husband saying he was being held hostage called 911 for help — but when police arrived an hour later, he was dead.
Talija Campbell, 35, said her husband Qualin Campbell, 32, sent her text messages saying “911” and “Send Please!” He also shared his location and a photo of a man sitting next to him in his car.
She called 911 just after 1 p.m. with the information, telling the operator she feared her husband, who was a father of two, was being held hostage.
When Colorado Springs police responded to a separate shooting an hour later in a parking lot on South Nevada Avenue, the same location previously reported by Talija, two men were found dead, according to the department’s online police blotter.
Her husband Qualin was one of the victims, but Talija only found out when she went to the location herself and reportedly arrived before police.
The other man was identified by the El Paso County Coroner’s Office as David Karels, 44. Both men were shot dead, but only Campbell’s death is being investigated as homicide, police said. Karels’ death is being investigated as a suicide.
Talija Campbell, 35, said she called 911 on Friday after her husband Qualin Campbell, 32, called “911” and “Send Please!” had sent. but the police did not respond until an hour later and he was found dead
She had previously called 911 and told a dispatcher she believed her husband had been taken hostage and described his car and its location, which was about a mile from Colorado Springs Police Department headquarters.
Talija was then transferred to a dispatcher responsible for taking calls in Colorado Springs.
The first dispatcher informed the second dispatcher of what she reported, she said, before having to explain everything she knew back to the second dispatcher.
The second dispatcher said an agent would check and contact her, but there was no sense of urgency, Talija said, so she drove to the site herself.
She arrived at the location her husband had given her and immediately recognized his company car in a parking lot. He was working as a repairman of mobile printer equipment.
Talija said that when she saw her husband fall into the car next to another man, she fell to her knees and started screaming.
Talija said that when she saw her husband fall into the car next to another man, she fell to her knees and started screaming
Talija and Qualin were married for seven years and had two daughters together (pictured)
As other people gathered, they discussed whether to open the car door after seeing a gun on the lap of the other man, who appeared unconscious but had no visible injuries, she said.
Talija said she decided to open the door to try and save her husband, who had been bleeding but found no heartbeat in his neck or wrist.
“I shouldn’t have been the one there, the first to respond,” she said.
Talija said her husband’s uncle, who was also at the scene, called the police to report that Qualin was dead.
When asked about Talija’s 911 call and the police response to it, police spokesman Robert Tornabene said he could not comment because an “open and active criminal investigation” into the deaths was ongoing.
Talija’s lawyer, Harry Daniels, said she wants answers from the department about why it didn’t respond to her call, saying Qualin might still be alive if they had.
Qualin Campbell, a father of two from Colorado, told his wife Talija that he was held hostage by a stranger in his car and later found dead in a parking lot
The other man was later identified by the El Paso County Coroner’s Office as David Karels, 44. Both men were shot dead, but only Campbell’s death is being investigated as homicide.
The dispatcher said an agent would check and contact her, but there was no sense of urgency, Talija said, so she drove to the location herself
“I can’t think of anything that’s a higher priority than a hostage situation, except maybe an active shooter,” he said.
Daniels told KKTV that police failed to help someone who was “begging for his life.”
“The Colorado Springs and El Paso County police can make all the excuses they want, but the facts are simple,” Daniels said.
“This was a hostage situation where Qualin Campbell begged for his life, his wife called 911, the police were less than a mile away but they never responded. Let’s be clear. If the police don’t respond to a hostage situation, none of us are safe.’
A GoFundMe has been organized for the heartbroken family to help with expenses in the wake of the death of Qualin, who was their breadwinner
Qualin was a “loving husband, devoted father, son, brother and employee.” His heart for others was selfless and his dedication to serving others was unparalleled.”
a GoFundMe is organized to help with expenses in the wake of the death of Qualin, who had worked with All Copy Products (ACP) to provide for his family.
According to the fundraising site, Talija and Qualin were married for seven years and had two daughters together.
Qualin was a “loving husband, devoted father, son, brother and employee.” His heart for others was selfless and his dedication to serving others was unparalleled.”
Qualin’s death is the 10th homicide in the city of Colorado Springs in 2023. There were 24 homicides around this time last year.