A Maryland woman says it took more than 20 minutes for police to arrive to her Prince George's County home as a man lurked outside trying to break in — and she was stuck inside alone.
On Tuesday afternoon, Kezia Williams walked outside of her Bowie home to find a stranger in a Lakers hoodie standing on her lawn.
Her doorbell video shows her rush in the house as the man stands yards away. She said her instincts told her to get inside and call 911.
"I immediately started to put down the blinds in my house and shut my windows," Williams said.
We're making it easier for you to find stories that matter with our new newsletter — The 4Front. Sign up here and get news that is important for you to your inbox.
But that didn't deter the suspect. The video shows him walking up to her door and trying to open it. At one point, he puts his thumb over the camera. Then, he starts to put on a pair of gloves.
"At that point, he tried to enter again. He walked around the back of my house," Williams said.
She said the 911 dispatcher told her not to trigger the alarm and wait for police.
Local
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
It took police 22 minutes to show up, Williams said.
"I think he was here to hurt me," she said.
After 48 hours of silence from police, Williams posted the video to social media on Thursday. She also tried to file a police report, but an officer told her she couldn't.
"[An officer] said unless he enters your home, even if it was just him putting his hand in your home, it's not breaking and entering. There's nothing we can do," she said.
On Friday morning, nearly 72 hours after the incident, Prince George’s County detectives were back at the house dusting for prints and took Williams' statement, which included a critical piece of information
"When I put the video out, someone did reach out to me and say that she knew him," she said.
Police said they have identified the man and will charge him with tresspasing.
They'll work with Williams to see if additional charges need to be filed. She's grateful, but said it could’ve been done on Tuesday
"I did not feel safe in those three days," Williams said.
Williams said police have apologized to her, but it does nothing to erase the trauma
"Apologies are appreciated, but actions are necessary — and not just actions, but swift actions."
