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9 News
3 hours ago
- Politics
- 9 News
Protester killed at 'No Kings' protest was fashion designer who appeared on Project Runway
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here BREAKING Trump issues warning to evacuate Iran's biggest city Ah Loo, who went by the name Afa, was also a co-founder of the nonprofit Creative Pacific. An innocent bystander at a "No Kings" protest in Utah was shot and killed by a "peacekeeper" who was aiming for a different man pointing an AR-15-style rifle toward the crowd, witnesses told Salt Lake City police. Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, 39, was fatally wounded Saturday evening, police said. He was a husband, a father and a renowned fashion designer, according to a GoFundMe page established to help his widow Laura and their two children. Afa Ah Loo appeared in Season 17 of the fashion design reality show Project Runway. (Getty Images via CNN) He was among 10,000 protesters who packed downtown Salt Lake City for a "No Kings" protest – one of 2000 events nationwide denouncing the Trump administration. While authorities have not released details about the peacekeeper who shot Ah Loo, the man who was spotted carrying the rifle was arrested on suspicion of murder. "The preliminary investigation shows Ah Loo was participating in the demonstration and appears to have been an innocent bystander who was not the intended target of the gunfire," Salt Lake City police said. Gunfire erupted around 7.56pm local time. "As panic spread throughout the area, hundreds of people ran for safety, hiding in parking garages, behind barriers, and going into nearby businesses," police said. Officers then found Ah Loo, who was gravely wounded and later died from his injuries. Moments later, police were flagged down nearby and "found a man crouching among a group of people with a gunshot wound," police said. The man, later identified as 24-year-old Arturo Gamboa, was dressed in all black with a black mask. "As officers approached, community members pointed out a nearby firearm, which was described as an AR-15-style rifle. Officers also located a gas mask, black clothing, and a backpack in close proximity." Witnesses reported the man had been wielding the rifle in a firing position and running toward the protesters, police said. Gamboa drew the attention of two peacekeepers "who were wearing high-visibility neon green vests and carrying handguns," and one of them "fired three rounds," Salt Lake City police said. "One round struck Gamboa, while another tragically wounded Mr Ah Loo." Salt Lake City police said Monday the peacekeepers were not "overseen, sanctioned, or trained" by the department and neither of the men are current or former law enforcement officers. Demonstrators denounced the Trump administration at a "No Kings" protest in Salt Lake City - one of 2,000 similar events in cities across the country June 13. (AP via CNN) Gamboa was taken to a hospital and later booked into the Salt Lake County Metro Jail "on a charge of murder," police said Sunday. It is not immediately clear if Gamboa has an attorney. "Detectives have developed probable cause that Gamboa acted under circumstances that showed a depraved indifference to human life, knowingly engaged in conduct that created a grave risk of death and ultimately caused the death of an innocent community member." But on Monday morning, the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office told CNN no charges had been finalised in the case. The DA's office said the case was still in the hands of the police department. "As this continues to be an active investigation, any comment at this time would be inappropriate," Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said in a statement. CNN asked Salt Lake City police Monday for more details about Gamboa's potential murder charge and whether the person who shot Ah Loo might also face charges. "Detectives are still actively investigating this case, to include the actions of the peacekeepers," Salt Lake City police wrote. "Detectives have not been able to determine, at this time, why Gamboa pulled out his rifle and began to manipulate it or why he ran from the peacekeepers when they confronted him." The two peacekeepers, who have not been identified, were detained and interviewed, police said. "From the department's standpoint, these persons are considered members of the public, subject to the same rights and responsibilities as any other person in Utah," police said in a Monday statement. The police department also said it was unclear whether they were hired or volunteered for the event, "or acted on their own initiative," and a permit for the protest did not details plans to have organised or armed security. "The Salt Lake City Police Department does not direct or manage security roles and responsibilities unless that requirement is outlined in the event's approved permit, of which it was not," police added. Volunteer peacekeeping teams are common for protests, a national grassroots organisation told The Associated Press. Typically, organisers ask attendees – including the peacekeepers – to not bring any weapons, said Sarah Parker, a national coordinator for 50501 Movement, a partner in the "No Kings" protest. But the Salt Lake City peacekeepers likely stopped what could have been a much larger tragedy, Parker told the AP. "Our safety team did as best as they could in a situation that is extremely sad and extremely scary," she said. World USA Protests police Donald Trump US POLITICS CONTACT US
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Protester shot and killed at 'No Kings' rally in Utah, police say
A man who was believed to be part of a peacekeeping team for the 'No Kings' protest in Salt Lake City shot at a person who was brandishing a rifle at demonstrators, striking both the rifleman and a bystander who later died at the hospital, authorities said Sunday. Police took the alleged rifleman, Arturo Gamboa, 24, into custody Saturday evening on a murder charge, Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd said at a Sunday news conference. The bystander was Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, 39, a fashion designer from Samoa. Detectives don't yet know why Gamboa pulled out a rifle or ran from the peacekeepers, but they accused him of creating the dangerous situation that led to Ah Loo's death. The Associated Press did not immediately find an attorney listed for Gamboa or contact information for his family in public records. Redd said the man believed to be part of the peacekeeping team, dressed in a neon green vest, fired three shots from a handgun at Gamboa, inflicting a relatively minor injury but fatally shooting Ah Loo. Redd did not share the man's name. Volunteer peacekeeping teams are common for protests, said Sarah Parker, a national coordinator for 50501 Movement, which was a partner in the 'No Kings' protest. But the organizers ask attendees, including the peacekeepers, not to bring weapons, she said. Still, Parker said they stopped what could've been a larger mass casualty event. 'Our safety team did as best as they could in a situation that is extremely sad and extremely scary," said Parker. Ah Loo, known as Afa, was a husband and father to two children and a fashion designer who leaned into his Samoan heritage, according to a GoFundMe page organized to support his family. Ah Loo founded Creative Pacific, an event celebrating the diversity of the Pacific Islands, with workshops, artists and a fashion runway. He was on Season 17 of the fashion design reality TV show 'Project Runway.' The gunshots sent hundreds of protesters running, some hiding behind barriers and fleeing into parking garages and nearby businesses, police said in a statement. 'That's a gun. Come on, come on, get out," someone can be heard saying in a video posted to social media that appears to show the events. 'No Kings' protests swept across the country on Saturday, and organizers said millions rallied against what they described as President Donald Trump's authoritarian tendencies. Confrontations were largely isolated. In Riverside, California, authorities said a driver of an SUV struck a woman who was participating in a demonstration and sped away. The woman had 'significant injuries' but was stable, police said, adding that they were still searching for the driver. Outside the Arizona statehouse, a social media video showed protesters Saturday jeering at and then skirmishing with a masked man, who eventually pulled out a handgun, causing the crowd to scatter. Another video showed Arizona Department of Public Safety officers taking the man into custody. The shooter and another person in a neon vest allegedly saw Gamboa separate from the crowd of marchers in downtown Salt Lake City, move behind a wall and withdraw a rifle around 8 p.m., Redd said. When the two men in vests confronted Gamboa with their handguns drawn, witnesses said Gamboa raised his rifle into a firing position and ran toward the crowd, said Redd. That's when one of the men dressed in the vests shot three rounds, hitting Gamboa and Ah Loo, said Redd. Gamboa, who police said didn't have a criminal history, was wounded and treated before being booked into jail. Redd said that the peacekeepers' actions are also part of the investigation. Police said they recovered an AR-15 style rifle, a gas mask and a backpack at the scene. Jesse Bedayn, The Associated Press
Daily Mail
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Project Runway star is killed at anti-Trump 'No Kings' rally
A Project Runway star was killed when a man brandished a rifle during an anti-Trump rally in Utah on Saturday. Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, 39, was struck by official peacekeepers at Saturday's No Kings rally in Salt Lake City. They'd spotted another protester - Arturo Gamboa, 24 - wield a weapon and point it at a crowd. The peacekeepers ordered Gamboa to drop his weapon but he failed to do so. When Gamboa ran towards a crowd with the rifle in a firing position, the peacekeeping team opened fire on him. Ah Loo was caught in the crossfire and shot. The fashion designer, who leaves behind a wife and two young children, later died at a local hospital , authorities said Sunday. Police took the alleged shooter into custody on Saturday evening on a murder charge. Detectives don't yet know why he pulled out a rifle. Ah Loo, from Samoa, recently became an American citizen and voted for the first time during the 2024 election. He attended the No Kings march because he 'believed that everyone was deserving of basic human rights', Utah Rep. Verona Mauga told KSL-TV . Ah Loo, known as 'Afa', was a husband and father to two children and a fashion designer who leaned into his Samoan heritage, according to a GoFundMe page organized to support his family. Ah Loo founded Creative Pacific, an event celebrating the diversity of the Pacific Islands, with workshops, artists and a fashion runway. He was on Season 17 of the fashion design reality TV show Project Runway. The peacekeeper, who was dressed in a neon green vest, fired three shots from a handgun at Gamboa, inflicting a relatively minor injury but fatally shooting Ah Loo. Authorities did not share the man's name. Ah Loo, an innocent bystander participating in Saturday's march, was with a group of friends when the shots were fired into the crowd, Mauga told the TV station. The gunshots sent hundreds of protesters running, some hiding behind barriers and fleeing into parking garages and nearby businesses, police said in a statement. 'That's a gun. Come on, come on, get out,' someone can be heard saying in a video posted to social media that appears to show the events. The designer's friends realized 'something wrong may have happened' when they did not hear back from him after the chaos broke out, Mauga added. 'Afa is a person who believed in equity and equality for all people and all communities,' she said. 'That's why he was there. He was with his community and he was with people he cared about, marching and rallying for all of those things that make our community, like, really great.' Police said the shooter and another person in a neon vest allegedly saw Gamboa separate from the crowd of marchers in downtown Salt Lake City, move behind a wall and withdraw a rifle around 8 p.m. Saturday. When the two men in vests confronted Gamboa with their handguns drawn, witnesses said Gamboa raised his rifle into a firing position and ran toward the crowd, said Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd. That's when one of the men dressed in the vests shot three rounds, hitting Gamboa and Ah Loo. SWAT medics immediately performed life-saving care to the bystander before firefighters and paramedics stepped in. The coroner will determine Ah Loo's official cause and manner of death. Gamboa, who police said didn't have a criminal history, was wounded and treated before being booked into the Salt Lake County Metro Jail. He was seen in dramatic pictures and videos being arrested and taken away on a stretcher by police and paramedics. Officers also located a backpack belonging to Gamboa that contained an 'AR-15 style rifle' and gas mask, according to Redd. Redd added that the peacekeepers' actions are also part of the investigation. Volunteer peacekeeping teams are common for protests, said Sarah Parker, a national coordinator for 50501 Movement, which was a partner in the No Kings protest. But the organizers ask attendees, including the peacekeepers, not to bring weapons, she said. Still, Parker said they stopped what could've been a larger mass casualty event. 'Our safety team did as best as they could in a situation that is extremely sad and extremely scary,' said Parker. The Associated Press did not immediately find an attorney listed for Gamboa or contact information for his family in public records. No Kings protests swept across the country on Saturday, and organizers said millions rallied against what they described as President Donald Trump's authoritarian tendencies. Confrontations were largely isolated. In Riverside, California, authorities said a driver of an SUV struck a woman who was participating in a demonstration and sped away. The woman had 'significant injuries' but was stable, police said, adding that they were still searching for the driver. Outside the Arizona statehouse, a social media video showed protesters Saturday jeering at and then skirmishing with a masked man, who eventually pulled out a handgun, causing the crowd to scatter. Another video showed Arizona Department of Public Safety officers taking the man into custody.
Vancouver Sun
9 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
'Project Runway' fashion designer ID'd as protester killed at Utah 'No Kings' rally
SALT LAKE CITY, Ut. — The 39-year-old man shot and killed at a weekend 'No Kings' protest in Salt Lake City was a successful fashion designer and former 'Project Runway' contestant who devoted his life to celebrating artists from the Pacific Islands. Arthur Folasa Ah Loo was killed when a man who was believed to be part of a peacekeeping team for the protest shot at a person brandishing a rifle at demonstrators, accidentally striking Ah Loo. Ah Loo later died at the hospital, authorities said. Detectives don't yet know why the alleged rifleman pulled out a weapon or ran from the peacekeepers, but they charged him with murder and accused him of creating the dangerous situation that led to Ah Loo's death, Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd said at a Sunday news conference. Get top headlines and gossip from the world of celebrity and entertainment. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sun Spots will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. The 'self-taught' fashion designer from Samoa, known to many as Afa, was deeply connected to his culture and community, according to the website Creative Pacific, a nonprofit organization he co-founded to support artists from the Pacific Islands. Ah Loo's designs, which often featured colorful geometric patterns, were inspired by his Samoan heritage. Ah Loo leaves behind his wife and two young children, according to a GoFundMe for his family that raised over $100,000 in 48 hours. He was a founder of Utah Pacific Fashion, an organization that celebrates artistic heritage from Oceania. Recently, he designed a garment for the star of the Disney Channel animated movie Moana 2, Hawaiian actor Auliʻi Cravalho. Cravalho wore the outfit to the film's red carpet premiere in Hawaii last November. She said in an interview with Vogue at the time that the design combined traditional and modern aesthetics from her culture. Ah Loo strung individual white Dovetail shells into a cape-like shape reminiscent of Hawaiian ʻahu ʻula_a feather cloak worn by ancient Hawaiian royalty, according to Vogue. 'This was the first time I was so active in helping to design a custom look, and Afa surpassed what I had envisioned,' says Cravalho told the magazine at the time.
Ottawa Citizen
10 hours ago
- Ottawa Citizen
Peacekeeper who killed man at Utah anti-Trump 'No Kings' rally was firing at potential shooter: police
Article content A man who was believed to be part of a peacekeeping team for the 'No Kings' protest in Salt Lake City shot at a person who was brandishing a rifle at demonstrators, striking both the rifleman and a bystander who later died at the hospital, authorities said Sunday. Article content Police took the alleged rifleman, Arturo Gamboa, 24, into custody Saturday evening on a murder charge, Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd said at a Sunday news conference. The bystander was Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, 39, a fashion designer from Samoa. Article content Article content Detectives don't yet know why Gamboa pulled out a rifle or ran from the peacekeepers, but they accused him of creating the dangerous situation that led to Ah Loo's death. The Associated Press did not immediately find an attorney listed for Gamboa or contact information for his family in public records. Article content Article content Redd said the man believed to be part of the peacekeeping team, dressed in a neon green vest, fired three shots from a handgun at Gamboa, inflicting a relatively minor injury but fatally shooting Ah Loo. Redd did not share the man's name. Article content Volunteer peacekeeping teams are common for protests, said Sarah Parker, a national coordinator for 50501 Movement, which was a partner in the 'No Kings' protest. But the organizers ask attendees, including the peacekeepers, not to bring weapons, she said. Still, Parker said they stopped what could've been a larger mass casualty event. Article content 'Our safety team did as best as they could in a situation that is extremely sad and extremely scary,' said Parker. Article content Ah Loo, known as Afa, was a husband and father to two children and a fashion designer who leaned into his Samoan heritage, according to a GoFundMe page organized to support his family. Ah Loo founded Creative Pacific, an event celebrating the diversity of the Pacific Islands, with workshops, artists and a fashion runway. He was on Season 17 of the fashion design reality TV show 'Project Runway.' Article content We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Arthur 'Afa' Folasa Ah Loo. A celebrated Samoan fashion designer and creative force in the Pacific community, Afa's talent and vibrant cultural vision inspired many across the region and beyond. A few years ago, the U.S. Embassy in New… — US Embassy NZ 🇺🇸🇳🇿 (@usembassynz) June 16, 2025 Article content The gunshots sent hundreds of protesters running, some hiding behind barriers and fleeing into parking garages and nearby businesses, police said in a statement. 'That's a gun. Come on, come on, get out,' someone can be heard saying in a video posted to social media that appears to show the events. Article content Article content 'No Kings' protests swept across the country on Saturday, and organizers said millions rallied against what they described as President Donald Trump's authoritarian tendencies. Article content Confrontations were largely isolated. In Riverside, California, authorities said a driver of an SUV struck a woman who was participating in a demonstration and sped away. The woman had 'significant injuries' but was stable, police said, adding that they were still searching for the driver. Article content Outside the Arizona statehouse, a social media video showed protesters Saturday jeering at and then skirmishing with a masked man, who eventually pulled out a handgun, causing the crowd to scatter. Another video showed Arizona Department of Public Safety officers taking the man into custody.
