Amazon Echo credited with calling 911

Authorities in Albuquerque, New Mexico, are crediting an Amazon Echo with calling 911 during what they called a violent assault.

Manuel Gonzalez III, the sheriff of the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department, said the call to 911 prompted police to get to the scene and help save a woman and her daughter from a “very violent” situation.

Police say it all started when the woman’s boyfriend accused her of cheating on him, hitting her face with her 9 mm gun and kicking her at least 10 times in the face and stomach while she was on the floor.

Though authorities are praising the home device for helping, Amazon and a national 911 association have refuted those claims.

The Amazon Echo is a smart home device with a virtual assistant, Alexa, empowered to act and respond to voice commands. Alexa can search the web, advise about the weather and play music.

Amazon spokeswoman, Rachel Hass, said by email to the New York Times that calling 911 is not possible for the device because in order for a call to be placed, the receiving end needs to have Alexa calling and messaging set up.

Click here to read about possible explanations for the call in The New York Times.