Man who fired at gunman and killed Utah 'No Kings' protester was a
safety volunteer, organizers say
[June 18, 2025]
By JESSE BEDAYN and HANNAH SCHOENBAUM
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A military veteran who inadvertently fatally shot
a demonstrator at a Salt Lake City “No Kings” rally while trying to stop
an alleged gunman was a “safety volunteer” for the protest, according to
police and organizers.
The safety volunteer, who has not been identified publicly, fired three
rounds at Arturo Gamboa, 24, who allegedly brandished a rifle at
Saturday's crowd. The gunshots hit both Gamboa and the protester, Arthur
Folasa Ah Loo, police said.
Gamboa did not fire the rifle, and no formal criminal charges have been
filed against him. However he was arrested on suspicion of murder and
accused of creating the dangerous situation that led to Ah Loo's death,
police said. He remained in custody as of Tuesday, according to jail
logs.
It is unclear what Gamboa intended to do with the rifle. His father,
reached by The Associated Press on Tuesday, declared his son's
innocence.
“My son, Arturo Gamboa, is an innocent guy. He was in the wrong place at
the wrong time,” Albert Gamboa said in a brief phone call.
The investigation includes whether the safety volunteer was justified in
shooting, the Salt Lake City Police Department said Monday.
Utah is an open-carry state, meaning people who can legally own a
firearm are generally allowed to carry it on a public street.
“Inevitably there are going to be instances like this one, which may or
may not have been a misunderstanding,” said Timothy Zick, a William &
Mary Law School professor who has written about the laws surrounding
public protests.
"It’s hard to sort out who’s acting lawfully with a firearm in the
middle of an already crowded, sometimes chaotic protest space,” he said.
Police said the permit for the protest did not specify that there would
be armed security and event staffers' roles and responsibilities were
being investigated. The protest of some 10,000 people was otherwise
peaceful.
Here’s what is known so far about the shooting:
How did it unfold?
Thousands of protesters were marching through downtown Salt Lake City
when, around 8 p.m., the veteran and another man said they spotted
Gamboa, who was wearing all black clothing, move behind a wall and
withdraw a rifle from a backpack, according to a police news release.
The two men drew their handguns and ordered Gamboa to drop the rifle,
but witnesses said he instead moved toward the crowd and held his rifle
in a “firing position,” according to police.
The safety volunteer shot three rounds, hitting Gamboa and Ah Loo.
Gamboa's wound was relatively minor, and he was arrested nearby by
police, who found a rifle, gas mask and backpack in the area.
Ah Loo died after being taken to a hospital. Police said they do not yet
know why Gamboa had the rifle or allegedly disobeyed the orders from the
two men.
The protest was one of hundreds nationwide Saturday against President
Donald Trump’s military parade in Washington, which marked the Army’s
250th anniversary and coincided with Trump’s birthday.
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A woman lays flowers Tuesday, June 17, 2025, at a makeshift memorial
for Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, known to friends and family as Afa, on the
city block in Salt Lake City, where Ah Loo was fatally shot during a
"No Kings" protest on Saturday, June 14. (AP Photo/Hannah Schoenbaum)
What are safety marshals for demonstrations?
The Utah chapter of 50501 Movement, which helped organize the “No
Kings” protest, said in a statement Monday that the man who
confronted Gamboa was a “safety volunteer” meant to help maintain
order and a military veteran.
“Our team of safety volunteers, who have been selected because of
their military, first responder, and other relevant de-escalation
experience, believed there was an imminent threat to the protestors
and took action,” organizers said.
The group did not give further details on the person’s training or
explain why he was armed. Sarah Parker, a national coordinator for
50501 Movement, which helped organize the “No Kings” protests across
the country, said all attendees, including those in safety roles,
were asked not to bring weapons.
It’s extremely rare for safety teams, often called safety marshals,
to be armed. Instead, they rely on calm demeanor, communication
skills and relationships with police and protesters to help keep
order, said Edward Maguire, an Arizona State University criminology
and criminal justice professor.
“Arming marshals or peacekeepers is widely discouraged, as it tends
to create more problems than it solves," Maguire said.
Who was the protester who was killed?
Ah Loo was a successful fashion designer and former “Project Runway”
contestant who devoted his life to celebrating artists from the
Pacific Islands.
Benjamin Powell, a friend of Ah Loo's, said the 39-year-old was born
in Samoa but lived in Utah for about a decade.
Ah Loo, a self-taught designer known to many as Afa, devoted his
life to doing “good things for his neighbors and community,” state
Rep. Verona Mauga, a close friend, told The Associated Press. Their
families were both from the small village of Lotopa in Samoa, she
said.
Ah Loo leaves behind a wife and two young children, according to a
GoFundMe page for his family.
Powell said he and Ah Loo were working on an August fashion show,
which Powell said will now honor Ah Loo’s unwavering commitment to
his community.
___
Bedayn reported from Denver. Associated Press writer Mead Gruver in
Cheyenne, Wyoming, contributed.
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