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SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake police announced in January that an internal affairs investigation into two officers accused of failing to render proper medical aid to a stabbing victim concluded that the officers did not violate any department policies.
Now, the Salt Lake City Police Civilian Review Board concurs that the officers did not engage in racial discrimination — but it says there is not enough evidence to reach a conclusion about whether the officers violated department policy by failing to take proper action for the stabbing victim.
Chief Mike Brown says his officers were placed in a very difficult situation that day and he supports the actions of his officers that night. He says he also values the board's perspective of the situation.
Officers Ian Anderson and Jadah Brown responded to an apartment complex at 239 E. South Temple on a report of a domestic-violence incident on Nov. 13, 2020.
Officers found Fernanda Tobar who claimed she didn't know what happened, but her boyfriend, Ryan Outlaw, 39, was on the ground in the apartment complex's elevator with a stab wound to the chest. Tobar did not give the officers any information about who stabbed Outlaw and gave conflicting stories about what had occurred, the Internal Affairs report states. Outlaw also declined to say who had stabbed him.
"Neither officer Anderson nor officer Brown was observed providing medical assistance to Outlaw as they waited for the ambulance to arrive at the scene. They were on scene for a total of 6 minutes and 24 seconds when EMS arrived and began assessing and treating Outlaw," the final civilian review board report states.
The officers took turns preventing the elevator doors from closing on Outlaw. But because there were others walking around the complex and Outlaw claimed he didn't know who had stabbed him, "both officers stated it was unclear if any of these people were potential suspects or had any weapons.
"Both officers described the scene as chaotic," the report says. "They had to hold the elevator door open, determine who was a suspect(s), deflect residents walking near the crime scene because they were unsure if they had weapons, obtain information from Tobar, stop her from fleeing the scene, observing one another for safety, and making sure the scene was clear for medical to respond."
Tobar insisted she did not stab Outlaw. But she eventually admitted she and Outlaw had been drinking and she was "full of rage." Tobar was arrested and later charged with murder, a first-degree felony. In December 2021, she was found guilty by a jury of a lesser charge of manslaughter, a third-degree felony, and was sentenced to six months in jail followed by five years of probation. In July 2022, however, a warrant was issued for her arrest for failing to comply with the conditions of her probation.
The Internal Affairs and civilian review board reviews were prompted by KSTU, which alluded that the responding officers discriminated against Outlaw and did not provide medical aid because of his race.
The officers, however, "both reiterated that it was not safe to do so, and they did not have the proper medical equipment," the board determined.
According to the Salt Lake City Police Civilian Review Board's report, the allegations of racial discrimination are "unfounded," meaning "the reported incident did not occur." But the board made "no determination" on the allegation of the officers failing to take proper action, meaning "there is insufficient evidence to support a conclusion as to whether or not the employee violated policy."
