I was kind of hoping the "who is the abuser" conversation died when we re-opened the thread but since it hasn't I'm going to bring this forward with some more comments.
IMO the totality of the evidence we have shows they were both being abusive to each other.
THEY BOTH put marks on each other.
ONE officer determined that Gabby was the “primary aggressor”. I’m super supportive of LE in most instances However, IMO that officer made a bad call in calling Gabby the aggressor because
NO ONE ever asked Gabby when the injury to her face occurred so a timeline isn't clearly established. That officer did not contribute to the police report and the officers that did contribute state it was a mental health episode and not domestic violence. Everyone here is talking about looking at this incident with a bias from their own lives
without considering that officer that determined that Gabby was the primary aggressor stated that his ex wife and him had these issues and he himself could have been biased.
Transcribed from body cam video
9:04
Officer: "Did he hit you"
GP : "He liked grabbed me" (puts hands to face grabbing to demonstrate)
Officer: “Don't worry, be honest”
GP: “He like .. he like this .... (puts hands on face grabbing again) He didn't like hit me (makes punching motion) (inaudible)
Officer: Did he slap your face or what?”
GP: “He like grabbed (inaudible) it cut me here ... (strokes left cheek) ... I can feel it now ... *starts crying* (see photo - this mark is exactly where she's touching her face)”
12:24
Officer: “This officer noticed you have marks on your face”
BL : “ I put marks on her too “
21:08
Officer giving witness statement : He said he never saw the male strike the female. He saw the male trying to lock her out of the vehicle ..... he hung her backpack on the back probably so she'd have her *expletive* ... the witness is saying I never saw him hit her I saw him shove her he couldn't say if it was an aggression against her or a defense against her.
From Police Report :
Officer Eric Pratt : "It wasn't clear, but I believe it was reported the male had been observed to have assaulted the female" "It appears this incident is more accurately categorized as a mental health break than a domestic assault"
Officer Robbins:
Christoper stated that Brian got into the van, he saw what appeared to him as Gabby hitting Brian in the arm and then climbing through the driver side window as if Brian had locked her out and she was trying to find a way in.
Brian said Gabby thinking he was going to leave her in Moab without a ride , went to slap him. As Gabby started to swing Brian pushed her away to avoid the slap. But she still caught his face leaving some visible scratches.
After evaluating the totality of the circumstances I do NOT believe the situation escalated to the level of domestic assault as much as that of a mental health crisis .
They did BOTH have their own cell phones in case of emergency.
————
We also have witness testimony that BL was controlling to Gabby. Including limiting her friends, taking her ID and limiting her activities (
Gabby Petito's best friend claims Brian Laundrie was jealous and controlling | Daily Mail Online)
And we KNOW that BL left her somewhere, returned to FL alone and is now on the run.
