Utah ‘No Kings’ protest: What we know about the fatal shooting

By Chris Boyette, CNN

(CNN) — Newly released video appears to show the man arrested on suspicion of murder for the death of an innocent bystander at a “No Kings” protest in Salt Lake City Saturday walking away with his rifle pointing down moments before a volunteer “peacekeeper” opened fire in his direction, according to CNN affiliate KSTU.

The bystander, Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, was shot and killed by a “peacekeeper” who was allegedly aiming for the man with the rifle, believing him to be an “imminent threat,” according to a police statement.

Gunfire erupted just before 8 p.m.

Two “peacekeepers” volunteering with event organizer Utah 50501’s safety team told the Salt Lake City Police Department they noticed Arturo Gamboa behaving suspiciously and “pull out an AR-15-style rifle from a backpack and begin manipulating it.”

Under Utah law, adults 21 and older may openly carry or conceal a firearm without a permit.

The volunteers, who were armed with handguns and wearing neon green vests, told police they “ordered Gamboa to drop the weapon” before one of the “peacekeepers” opened fire on protesters, according to a police statement Sunday.

Witnesses reported Gamboa was holding the rifle in a firing position and running toward the protesters after being confronted by the “peacekeepers,” police said.

A Salt Lake City police sergeant heard the gunfire just before 8 p.m. 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 in the statement.

The “peacekeeper” fired three rounds, fatally wounding Ah Loo and shooting Gamboa, who was taken to the hospital before he was booked into the Salt Lake County Metro Jail on a charge of murder, police said.

“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,” police said in the statement on Sunday.

Gamboa remains in custody

The Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office told CNN earlier this week that the murder charge against Gamboa had not been finalized.

Gamboa remains in custody at the Salt Lake County Metro Jail Thursday after a district court judge granted the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office’s motion to extend his detention for three more days.

Without the extension, authorities would have had to formally bring charges against Gamboa or release him within 72 hours of his arrest, per state law.

“A three-day extension was requested because the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office has not yet received a formal screening of the evidence associated with the charge of murder, for which Mr. Gamboa was booked,” the DA’s office said in a statement. “Detectives continue to interview witnesses and involved parties, as well as review voluminous amounts of surveillance and amateur footage of the incident.”

Police will present their evidence at a formal screening scheduled for Friday, and the district attorney’s Office will then make a decision whether to pursue charges, the statement said.

It is not immediately clear if Gamboa has an attorney.

CNN has reached out to the public defender’s office, the Salt Lake Legal Defender Association, for more information.

Authorities have not identified the “peacekeeper” who shot Ah Loo, and declined to comment on whether he will be charged in connection with the shooting.

Gamboa would never hurt anyone, friend says

A longtime friend told CNN Thursday Gamboa would never hurt anyone.

“Arturo is not violent, he’s never been violent,” Konrad Keele said. “Anyone that knows Arturo loves Arturo. He’s always been kind and very gentle.”

Keele said he’s known Gamboa for nine years, having met through Salt Lake City’s independent punk rock scene.

Gamboa is politically active, Keele said, and goes to many protests where he often open carries, but would not have if organizers asked him not to.

“I would say the chances of him even thinking about doing a mass shooting are zero,” Keele said.

Gamboa’s family is “broken-hearted and very confused,” according to Keele.

‘Peacekeepers’ were not ‘overseen, sanctioned, or trained’ by police

Utah 50501, the group that organized the protest, told The Salt Lake Tribune that the “peacekeepers” are “safety volunteers” who were responding to a perceived threat against the demonstrators.

“Our team of safety volunteers, who have been selected because of their military, first responder, and other relevant de-escalation experience, believed that there was an imminent threat to the protestors and took action,” the group said. “The safety volunteer who responded to the individual and who was questioned by police is a military veteran.”

“Detectives are still actively investigating this case, to include the actions of the peacekeepers,” police said.

The Salt Lake City Police Department is seeking video footage from before, after and during the shooting as they work “to piece together exactly what happened,” the department said in a statement.

The “peacekeepers” were not “overseen, sanctioned, or trained” by the department and neither of the two men is a current or former law enforcement officer, according to police.

“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 statement.

Sarah Parker, a national coordinator for the 50501 Movement, told the Associated Press that peacekeeping teams are common at large protests, but they are usually not armed with any weapons.

“Our safety team did as best as they could in a situation that is extremely sad and extremely scary,” she said.

New video raises more questions

Initial video from the scene shows bystanders flagging police to a man wearing a black shirt, black jeans and black boots.

“That’s a rifle right here,” one man is heard saying. “I just grabbed it from this guy right here,” gesturing to the man in black, later identified as Gamboa.

The video shows officers rushing Gamboa and taking him into custody.

But the new video obtained by KSTU shows a different angle of the shooting, potentially challenging the original narrative reported.

Police first said witnesses reported Gamboa pointed his rifle and ran at demonstrators after the “peacekeepers” told him to drop his weapon, but the new video appears to show Gamboa’s rifle pointing toward the ground, and he doesn’t start running until after the “peacekeeper” fires his gun.

The video also shows Gamboa jogging along the protest route and then ducking behind a fence – a move the “peacekeeper” told detectives he found suspicious.

Gamboa can be seen on the video through the slats in the fence and it appears he bends down. Police have said he removed the rifle from his backpack. The rifle cannot be seen in this video.

CNN has not independently obtained or verified the newly released video.

In a statement Thursday, police said it would be “inappropriate and premature” to comment on any specific evidence.

“Our focus is on conducting a thorough, impartial, and fact-driven investigation to ensure the integrity and fairness of any future legal proceedings,” the statement said.

A husband, a father and a renowned fashion designer

Ah Loo, 39, who went by the name Afa, 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.

The Utah resident was also a co-founder of the nonprofit Creative Pacific and appeared on the fashion design reality TV show “Project Runway.”

“Afa was a proud Samoan, deeply connected to his culture and community…he shared his heritage with passion and creativity,” the GoFundMe page said.

The Salt Lake City Police Department said Sunday officers, with the assistance of community members, “immediately began life-saving efforts” when they found Ah Loo.

Ah Loo was taken to the hospital, where he later died.

Utah 50501 told The Salt Lake Tribune they are mourning Ah Loo.

“Afa’s name, courage, and commitment to his people will never be forgotten,” the group said.

Ah Loo was joined by 18,000 protesters who packed downtown Salt Lake City for the “No Kings” protest – one of 2,000 events nationwide denouncing the Trump administration.

“This was a horrific moment of violence in a historic day full of thousands of Utahns exercising their right to protest. Nothing will ever change the undeniable strength of our community,” Utah 50501 said in a statement on social media.

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