Latest news with #CreativePacific
Metro
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Project Runway star Arthur Folasa Ah Loo fatally shot at anti-Trump protest
Fashion designer Arthur Folasa Ah Loo has been shot dead at an anti-Trump protest. The former Project Runway contestant, 39, appeared on the reality show in 2019. Ah Loo, who was from Samoa, was also known for co-founding Creative Pacific, a nonprofit that champions the Pacific Islands in the arts. Over the weekend No Kings protests swept the United States, with an estimated five million people gathering to express their opposition to Donald Trump's policies. However, when attending one of the protests in Utah, Ah Loo was shot and killed after being caught in the line of fire. The Salt Lake City Police Department explained that after armed peacekeepers saw a man retrieve an AR-15- style rifle from a backpack, he began running towards the crowd with the weapon 'held in a firing position'. After the officer fired three rounds, they injured the suspect, but also fatally struck Ah Loo, who later died in hospital. The man with the rifle – Arturo Gamboa – has since been charged with murder. 'Our victim was not the intended target but rather an innocent bystander participating in the demonstration,' Salt Lake City police chief Brian Redd said. More Trending In recent years Ah Loo had dressed the likes of Auli'i Cravalho and cast members of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City. Paying tribute to the designer on social media, Moana star Cravalho said there were 'no words to hold the grief of losing' him. View More » 'Your artistry will never be forgotten; and neither will your peaceful protest. My deepest condolences, sympathies and Aloha to his family, and all who felt his impact,' she added. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Lilo & Stitch actor David Hekili Kenui Bell dies weeks after film's release MORE: Dominik Mysterio hopes 'unbelievable' WWE star finally gets chance to shine MORE: WWE icon, 76, flooded with support from fans after revealing cancer update
The Sun
5 days ago
- The Sun
Project Runway star Afa Ah Loo smiled and shared gratitude in last video days before being shot dead at No Kings protest
THE tragic last post of a fashion designer who was shot and killed at a protest last weekend has been revealed. Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, who went by Afa, spoke about gratitude and community in an interview just days before he was fatally shot at a No Kings protest in Salt Lake City on Saturday night. 8 8 Ah Loo, 39, was an innocent bystander hit by a stray bullet allegedly fired by a "peacekeeping" volunteer at the protest, police said. He later died in the hospital. He had no connection to the gunman and was "not the intended target of the gunfire," according to the Salt Lake City Police Department. Ah Loo, a father of two, was best known as a Samoan fashion designer who competed on Season 17 of Project Runway in 2019. He finished in 13th place in the competition. After the show, he continued his fashion career and worked with nonprofit organization Creative Pacific. Days before the shooting, Ah Loo was seen smiling and speaking about how his Pacific Islander heritage relates to his work in a video interview shared on Facebook. "Our people are very creative people," he said in the video interview by PacifikaByDesign shared on June 12. "Now that we're here... Why don't we pull our people up with us and work together to make a name for ourselves and our people? "It is difficult to work in spaces that you don't normally see our people in. But it is with grit and perseverance that we can get to where we are. "We're slowly making our way there. We're still learning. We're grateful for people that have sacrificed their time and talents to help us." Victim of SLC shooting at 'No Kings' protest dies after being hit in crossfire as security targeted 'man with AR-15' Days after the interview, Ah Loo died in the hospital from his gunshot wounds after attending the No Kings march downtown. Thousands of No Kings demonstrations broke out across America over the weekend to protest the Trump administration on the president's birthday. The majority of No Kings rallies were peaceful and Ah Loo is believed to be the only fatality from the protests. Terrifying footage showed protesters running from the gunfire as over 10,000 people gathered to protest in Salt Lake City on Saturday. US Embassy New Zealand's statement The US Embassy New Zealand released the following statement about Afa Ah Loo's death: 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 Zealand was honored to support Afa in showcasing his work and leading U.S. fashion and business workshops at the Pacific Fusion Fashion Show in Auckland. Afa leaves behind a rich legacy in the artists he mentored and communities he uplifted. Our thoughts are with his ʻāiga, friends, and all who mourn his passing. Source: US Embassy NZ The unidentified man who shot Ah Loo told police he was a peacekeeper, meaning he was volunteering to help de-escalate conflict during the protest against President Donald Trump. The gunman told cops he watched Arturo Roberto Gamboa, 24, acting suspiciously in the protest crowd before pulling a rifle out of his backpack, SLCPD Chief Brian Redd said on Sunday. Gamboa charged toward protesters with his gun, which led the shooter to fire three shots at him, Redd said. 8 8 The gunfire struck Ah Loo, who was in a nearby crowd, and Gamboa. Gamboa was hospitalized for a minor bullet wound before he was arrested on suspicion of murder. A tribute by the US Embassy of New Zealand remembered Ah Loo as "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," the embassy's statement on X said. Ah Loo is survived by his wife and two young children. A GoFundMe for Ah Loo's family has raised over $190,000 as of Monday afternoon. 8 8
9 News
5 days 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
5 days 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
5 days 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.
