'Unintentional Mistakes' By PD In Gabby Petito Utah Fight: Report

MOAB, UT — Moab City police made "unintentional mistakes" in their handling of the incident involving slain Long Islander Gabby Petito — weeks before her death — and her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, according to an independent review.

Capt. Brandon Ratcliffe, of the Price Police Department, which is located about two hours northwest of Moab, released his 102-page report on Wednesday, outlining a review of the incident where officers questioned Petito and Laundrie, about a potential assault that took place outside of a shop in Moab.

The report recommends both officers be placed on probation, calls for additional training in domestic violence and legal issues so that officers have a better grasp of state laws and statutes, as well as upgraded software.

In the weeks following the release of bodycam footage detailing the incident, Moab police faced criticism on how they handled it.

In a disclaimer, Ratcliffe says that while he had access to all of the reports and video footage, he would not pretend to have the same perception as the officers who investigated the case, noting there are many 'what-ifs' that have presented themselves as part of the investigation, with the primary one being: Would Gabby be alive today if this case was handled differently?”

“That is an impossible question to answer despite it being the answer many people want to know,” Ratcliffe wrote. “Nobody knows and nobody will ever know the answer to that question."

"My job is to provide information into the details of this investigation and if it was handled properly," he added.

After police received a 911 call about a woman being assaulted by a man back on Aug. 12, police spotted Petito's van and pulled the couple over. Petito cried throughout the entire interview, and while officers determined that she had slapped Laundrie, they opted not to charge her in the incident.

Ultimately, officers Eric Pratt and Daniel Robbins, who was still in training, decided to separate the couple for the night, with Petito keeping the van and Laundrie going to a hotel. Pratt said in the report that he was afraid charging Petito would embolden Laundrie.

"So, if he's going to bail her out, is he not going to have more control over her now?" Pratt said.

The 23-year-old Petito was found one month later strangled to death near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. Laundrie's remains were found in November in a Florida preserve, where he is believed to have shot himself.

Ratcliffe's report also faults the department for not getting a statement from the 911 caller who reported seeing the alleged assault.

The final police account did not recount the caller's initial report describing Laundrie as the aggressor, and it labeled the altercation instead a "mental health crisis."

While the police did not characterize the incident on Main Street as domestic violence, the original 911 caller seemed concerned for Petito’s welfare.

In the 2½-minute audiotape, which was released by the Grand County Sheriff’s Office, an unidentified man tells a 911 dispatcher that he is reporting a domestic dispute that he saw on Main Street near a shop called Moonflower and describes how the van they were traveling in just drove off.

"What was he doing?" asks a sheriff's office 911 dispatcher during audio obtained by a records request. Other calls and scanner traffic can be heard in the background. The dispatcher's voice cuts out with silence at the end of his question.

The man, who is not familiar with the area, hurriedly tells the dispatcher, "We drove by and the gentleman was slapping the girl."

"Then we stopped," the caller says, adding, "They ran up and down the sidewalk, hopped in the car and they drove off."

The caller then gives a description of the van so the police can locate it. The couple was later pulled over after the van was recognized and struck a curb while being followed by an officer.

In a statement on Wednesday, the City of Moab credited the officers for showing "kindness, respect, and empathy in their handling of this incident."

"As the Moab City Police Department continues its daily mission to serve our community, efforts are underway to provide additional resources and tools to assist them in addressing domestic violence incidents," the statement continued.

Officials said that it has been recommended that the incident report be made more complete and they intend to implement the recommendation, as well as the others cited in the report.

"The City of Moab sends our sincere condolences to the Petito family," the statement read. "Our hearts go out to them as they continue to deal with the tragic loss of their daughter."

An attorney for Petito’s family did not immediately respond to a request for comment by publication time.

After the bodycam footage was initially released, Petito's mother, Nichole Schmidt, told NBC News that the footage was hard for her to watch.

"I wanted to jump through the screen and rescue her," she said. "I saw a young girl that needed someone to just hug her and keep her safe. I just felt so bad for her. I wish that she reached out to me."

In a statement to Newsday, Laundrie family attorney Steven Bertolino said that the Moab officers "responded and acted professionally toward both Brian and Gabby."

"Although the officers may not have followed the letter of the law in not citing Gabby, I believe they did the best they could given the responsiveness of both Brian and Gabby during the traffic stop," he said.

This is a devloping story. Check back for updates.

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