Ryan Outlaw, 39, was denied first aid by Salt Lake City police officers after a suffering a stab wound from a fight. According to an investigation by Fox 13 Now, the officers were well trained to provide care to Outlaw but instead waited until the paramedics arrived. At that point, it was too late.
Outlaw’s girlfriend, Fernanda Tobar, called 911 the night of November 13, 2020 asking for help because Outlaw had been stabbed in an apartment building. Another call came in from a neighbor, notifying the police there was a fight happening in the hallway, per Fox’s report. Tobar told the police he was crying for help and limping toward the elevator. The officers took 20 minutes to respond.
Officers Ian Anderson and Jadah Brown then arrived to the scene, activated their body cameras and stood over Outlaw for eight minutes while Tobar begged them to help.
More on the case from Fox 13 Now:
“What happened man?” Officer Anderson asked. “Hey, talk to me man... Ryan, what’s going on man?”
“Do you know what happened at all, Ryan?” Officer Brown asked.
“Ryan, crawl out of the elevator okay?” Officer Anderson said. “Hey, come this way.”
“You’re not doing anything about it!” Tobar yelled.
“What am I supposed to do?” Officer Anderson responded. “We have medical coming.”
The officers took turns asking Tobar questions as the second officer stood over the victim, asking questions and giving commands but never touching him.
“Why are you letting him just lay like that?” Tobar asked again, minutes later.
Officer Anderson stuck to his story. “We’re not paramedics,” he said. “We have medical on the way.”
After the exchange, paramedics walked into the apartment complex, however, the damage had already been done. Outlaw died 2 hours after Tobar’s call. Per Utah Peace Officer Standards and Training, officers go through four hours of first aid and CPR training plus a critical tactical care class for trauma patients. The officers’ excuse is that they had to make sure the elevator doors stayed open.
Former SLCPD chief Chris Burbank said their excuse wasn’t good enough.
“My question throughout the entire video – why did they not do direct pressure? Why are you not paying more attention to this person who is bleeding out in an elevator?” Burbank said via Fox 13. “The priority of policing is the protection of life. After the fact is solving the crime.”
Outlaw’s family had only seen the camera footage of the incident after Fox 13 obtained it. Outlaw’s father, Willie, said Ryan was a father to four boys and had a twin brother, Brian. Brian told Fox 13 he lost his best friend.
What’s even more disturbing - beyond the despicable neglect of the SLCPD officers - is that Fernanda Tobar, Outlaw’s girlfriend, was the one who stabbed him.