DA requests more time to review deadly ‘No Kings' Salt Lake City rally
The Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office was granted more time Thursday to determine what charges, if any, should be filed against the man arrested during Saturday's deadly 'No Kings' protest in Salt Lake City.
'Today, the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office requested and was granted by a 3rd District Court judge an extension for the detention of Arturo Gamboa at the Salt Lake County Jail. 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,' Sim Gill's office announced Thursday.
Although police say he was armed with a rifle, Gamboa did not fire a shot during a confrontation with rally volunteers, one of whom fired three rounds from his own handgun and injured Gamboa, 24, but also killed an innocent bystander, 39-year-old Arthur Folasa 'Afa' Ah Loo.
The incident happened just before 8 p.m. Saturday, as an estimated 10,000 people were marching on State Street. Two men who police say described themselves as part of the 'peacekeeping' group for the rally spotted Gamboa near 151 S. State. One of the men says he watched Gamboa move away from the main crowd to a secluded area behind a wall.
'The peacekeepers found this behavior to be suspicious and kept Arturo in view. One of the peacekeepers observed Arturo remove an AR-15 style rifle from a backpack he was carrying. He observed Arturo begin to manipulate the rifle, and they called out to him to drop the gun after drawing their own firearms. Arturo then lifted the rifle, and according to witnesses he began to run toward the large crowd gathered on State Street holding the rifle in a firing position,' a police booking affidavit states.
After Gamboa was treated for a gunshot wound to the stomach, he was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of murder. Under state law, once a person is booked into jail, prosecutors have 'by 3 p.m. on the fourth calendar day after the defendant was booked' to file formal charges, as long as the fourth day isn't a weekend or holiday. If charges are not filed by then, prosecutors can request a person be held in jail for another three days while they screen potential charges.
In asking for an extension to hold Gamboa, prosecutors noted that police are still interviewing witnesses and 'involved parties,' as well as going through 'voluminous amounts of surveillance and amateur footage of the incident. This extension will allow the police to present their evidence at a formal screening scheduled for this Friday and allow the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office sufficient time to review, analyze, and make an informed decision to any allegations of criminal wrongdoing,' Gill said Thursday,
'I ask for everyone's patience. When a person loses their life, we are all impacted as a community. It is critical that we are thorough, accurate, and faithful to the truth. Arthur Afa Ah Loo's family and our community of citizens deserve no less,' he said.
The so-called 'peacekeeper' who fired the shots that killed Ah Loo and injured Gamboa was not arrested. However, police say the investigation into the man — whom event organizers say has military experience — has been continuing, and the district attorney, while screening for potential charges against Gamboa, will also determine if criminal charges are warranted against the 'peacekeeper.'
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