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Before the shots rang out, nonviolence and unity defined ‘No Kings' protest
People take part in the 'No Kings' protest in Salt Lake City on Saturday, June 14, 2025. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch) For more than two hours, 10,000 protesters coalesced in their anger against President Donald Trump and his policies to march peacefully through scorching Salt Lake City streets Saturday. They had cheered organizers' urging for nonviolence and reveled in moments of unity as they walked, from appreciative honks from waiting cars to church bells ringing out for them as they passed St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral. Just before 8 p.m., gunshots sounded, sending the crowd scrambling. Police confirmed Sunday that an individual who they said was 'possibly part of the event's peacekeeping team' had spotted a man with a rifle approaching the marchers, and fired. That man, identified as 24-year-old Arturo Gamboa, sustained a minor gunshot wound and was later arrested and booked into jail for investigation of murder. An innocent bystander walking in the protest, Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, 39, was also shot. He died of his injuries Saturday night. A long list of questions remains. But up until that moment, the message of the event had been the same as protests happening in cities large and small around the country, part of a nationwide declaration of defiance of Trump coinciding with a large-scale military parade in Washington, D.C. marking the Army's 250th anniversary, a date that was also the president's 79th birthday. The Salt Lake City demonstration was the last and largest of 11 planned protests across the state Saturday, including a demonstration that drew thousands more to the University of Utah that morning. Speaking to reporters on a dark Salt Lake City street about two hours after the shooting, the city's police chief and mayor both praised the protesters for exercising their rights peacefully and without incident. 'We had thousands of people come out today, not only in Salt Lake City, but in protests around the state, protests around this nation, and they were, by and large, peaceful demonstrations,' Mayor Erin Mendenhall said. 'We are a nation that needs our First Amendment right. We deserve to be able to protest in peace. And what happened today, I hope, will not silence the voices of the public who deserve to have their voices heard.' Protesters' chants included 'This is what democracy looks like,' 'Trump is a felon,' and 'No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here.' There were also some unflattering shoutouts to elected Utah officials including Sen. Mike Lee, Rep. Celeste Maloy, Gov. Spencer Cox and state Rep. Trevor Lee. Despite Utah's unquestioned status as a red haven, with Republicans consistently holding the governor's office, all of the state's congressional seats and a supermajority in the Legislature, Utahns who disagree with Trump's politics have been making their voices heard in growing numbers since the president began his second term, including earlier in the week. Some protesters, like Ogden sisters Kimberly and Heidi Cruzatt, marched on behalf of those concerned about demonstrating publicly. They wore scrubs, a symbol of their Peruvian parents' work as CNAs. 'I believe it's not safe for them, and they have a family at home to take care of, so I don't want to risk them any harm being here,' said Heidi Cruzatt. Kimberly Cruzatt carried a poster styled after the broadway hit 'Hamilton' logo, including the line 'Immigrants, we get the job done.' 'It's about Alexander Hamilton, but since he's an immigrant, he's decided, 'OK, I think everybody who has come from different countries has collaborated in the community,'' she explained. Not far from the sisters was Rachel Blackmer, of Taylorsville, who teaches English to adult immigrants and trains foster parents to care for refugee teenagers. In the center of the sign she carried above her head, Blackmer drew a heart with words 'Protect the immigrants I love' inside, and dozens of names of her students appearing around it. 'Everyone I care about is being threatened right now. My students tell me about how scared they are, and they carry their ID with them, but that isn't even good enough. They're still scared, and I'm really excited to show them my sign and show them their names on it and why I'm here,' Blackmer said. Looking at the sea of people around her, Blackmer said she hopes the scale of the recent protests will spur change, comparing it to the height of Black Lives Matter protests in 2020. 'I'm really hoping that our country will respond even more than they did back then, this will be even bigger, and more people will respond,' she said. Why protest? 'They work,' she said.
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‘Peacekeeper' involved in shooting at SLC ‘No Kings' protest is a military veteran, organizers say
People take cover after gunshots rang out during the 'No Kings' protest in Salt Lake City on Saturday, June 14, 2025. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch) As questions continue to circle around the 'peacekeepers' acting as armed security at the 'No Kings' protest in Salt Lake City on Saturday, when police say a man inadvertently shot and killed a bystander, protest organizers issued a statement Tuesday saying the 'safety volunteer' who was involved is a 'military veteran.' 'During the protest an individual was spotted holding an AR-15 style weapon,' organizers with Utah 50501 said in the prepared statement provided to Utah News Dispatch on Tuesday. '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 protesters and took action.' Utah 50501 is a state chapter of the 50501 Movement, a grassroots group that organizes rallies to protest actions by President Donald Trump and his administration. According to Salt Lake City police, the shooting happened after two men described as 'peacekeepers' confronted another man, 24-year-old Arturo Gamboa, who was carrying an AR-15 style rifle. One of the men, reportedly part of the event's security team, fired three shots from a handgun, grazing Gamboa but also hitting an 'innocent bystander,' Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, who was pronounced dead at a hospital. Beloved Utah fashion designer's friends remember his life and his last moments Shortly after the shooting, police arrested Gamboa, and he was booked into jail for investigation of murder. Police say, however, that Gamboa did not fire his rifle. The two 'peacekeepers,' who wore high-visability vests, were initially detained by police, but were released after being questioned. Police said the man who fired the three shots is cooperating with investigators. 'The safety volunteer who responded to the individual (holding the rifle) and who was questioned by police is a military veteran,' the Utah 50501 statement said. 'The person currently in custody was apprehended thanks to a protester who saw the rifle and brought it to police attention.' In the statement, Utah 50501 organizers also expressed 'profound heartbreak' for the death of Ah Loo. 'We are mourning Afa Ah Loo with everything we have, and we are holding his family and friends in our hearts,' the statement said. 'Afa's name, courage, and commitment to his people will never be forgotten. We express our dearest and deepest sympathy to all those who knew and loved him.' The protests' organizers also noted the investigation into the shooting is 'still currently ongoing. At this time SLCPD has not chosen to charge any of the volunteers.' Salt Lake City police are investigating the shooting, but the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office will ultimately decide charges. As of Tuesday, no charges had been filed against Gamboa or anyone else involved in the shooting. The Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office has declined to say whether prosecutors are considering filing any charges against the 'peacekeepers' who were involved in the shooting. Man dies after being shot in chaotic scene at Salt Lake City's 'No Kings' protest 'This continues to be an active investigation by the SLCPD that is yet to be screened by our office, which is not uncommon or of concern as we remain so early into the criminal inquiry,' Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said in a prepared statement issued Tuesday. 'When the gathered evidence is presented to our office and homicide team, we will have a better understanding of facts, evidence and any chargeable decision,' Gill continued. 'Until then any conjecture would be purely speculative, inaccurate and inappropriate.' Gill urged Utahns to 'be patient and let law enforcement finish their work.' He also asked anyone 'who may have evidence or may be witnesses to contact and share that information with the SLCPD.' He referred to a link to the Salt Lake City Police Department's website, where evidence can be submitted online. In the days following the chaotic shooting, unanswered questions remain, including more details of who the 'peacekeepers' were and how they were vetted to be acting as armed security. Questions also remain regarding Gamboa's intentions and why he brought a rifle to the protest. As Utahns grieve Ah Loo's death, some have applauded actions by the 'peacekeepers' to prevent what could have been a mass shooting, while others have questioned whether the armed man who shot at Gamboa and inadvertently fatally struck Ah Loo acted appropriately. The Utah 50501 statement provided Tuesday offered a bit more information about who the protest's organizers said served as 'safety volunteers,' including that the people selected had 'military, first responder, and other relevant de-escalation experience,' and that the man involved was a 'military veteran.' However, other questions remain unanswered, including the ages of the two 'peacekeepers' that were involved in the shooting, how they were vetted, and how many of them present at the protest were armed. The Utah News Dispatch on Monday sent emails to both national and local organizers asking those questions and others. On Tuesday, Utah organizers pointed to the prepared statement and declined to provide interviews at this time. 'The organizers genuinely want to engage with the public but we have to balance the public's need for transparency with the participant's legal and psychological health,' the organizers said in an email. Utah 50501 organizers have drawn some criticism over the shooting, including from other local activist groups. The group Armed Queers SLC, which describes itself as an 'LGBTQ organization dedicated to the defense, and success, of oppressed people's movements,' posted a statement on its Instagram story saying 'we are still shocked at how the events unraveled' at the protest. 'Armed Queers takes gun ownership and its use for defense of our communities very seriously, and reject the way this situation was handled,' the group said. 'This event resulted in a direct loss of life that could have been avoided, and other measures should have been in place for proper de-escalation before openly shooting into a vulnerable crowd.' Armed Queers, the statement said, 'had no involvement in the planning' of Salt Lake City's 'No Kings' protest, adding that though some members attended, 'Armed Queers was given very little information about this event or our role in it.' 'We were asked to work as extra members of 50501's de-escalation team 2 days before the event,' their statement added. 'We agreed to participate because the organizers were concerned about agitators, but we were given very few details and transparency about the de-escalation plan.' The group said its members 'worked as a 'secondary de-escalation' team, and had no real interaction with agitators, or coordination with the event organizers while fulfilling that role.' It noted that no Armed Queers members were wearing high-visability vests, and no Armed Queers were 'part of any escalation of events.' 'One of Armed Queers' founding principles is 'The abolition of prisons and police as they serve as nothing but tools of capitalist oppression.' We completely reject any collaboration with the police or efforts by the state to celebrate certain protest movements, while repressing others,' the Armed Queers statement added. 'We were only made aware of any information being shared with the police when public videos had surfaced of 50501's team.' The group added that they grieve 'the killing of Afa Ah Loo. His life was unjustly cut short, and our hearts are with his family and his community.' Organizers with the national 50501 Movement have said they discourage people from bringing firearms to protests. 'In the face of this heartbreaking situation, we would like to affirm our commitment to nonviolence and to our non-negotiable prohibition of firearms policy for anyone representing 50501 at any of our actions or events,' organizers with the national 50501 Movement said in a Facebook post Monday. 'It is clear we do not have a complete understanding of what happened yet. What is certain is that, if no guns were present at the protest, this tragedy would have been prevented altogether.' Utah, however, is a 'constitutional carry' state, which means its laws allow the open and concealed carrying of firearms without a permit for those who are legally allowed to possess them. In 2021, with HB60, the Republican-controlled Utah Legislature eliminated the state's concealed carry permit requirements. Now, anyone 21 and over who can legally possess a gun is free to carry it loaded and hidden in public. Unlike 26 other states, Utah has not adopted a law prohibiting carrying long guns at state capitols or political protests, according to Everytown Research & Policy, an organization that produces research on gun violence and advocates for gun violence prevention. The group has ranked Utah as No. 36 in the country for 'gun law strength.' Salt Lake City Police spokesperson Brent Weisberg said in a lengthy statement issued Monday that police are continuing to investigate the 'peacekeepers' involvement, as well as other aspects of the protest's organization and staffing. He said neither of the two men identified as 'peacekeepers' involved in the shooting were 'current or former members of law enforcement, including the Salt Lake City Police Department.' Police investigating 'peacekeepers' role in fatal shooting at 'No Kings' protest in Utah 'While Utah law governs when and how a person may carry and use a firearm, the lawfulness of any individual's possession or use depends on the specific facts and circumstances of each case,' Weisberg said. Weisberg said it 'remains unclear whether these individuals were hired by or volunteered for the event organizers, or acted on their own initiative.' He also noted that the term 'peacekeeper' does not 'represent any formal designation recognized by the Salt Lake City Police Department or the City,' and that there was 'no record in the event's permit indicating the presence of organized or armed security.' He said the 'peacekeeping' term was how the volunteer questioned by police 'self-identified.' 'While the Salt Lake City Police Department was aware that Saturday's demonstration would include people in support roles, such as those helping to marshal or guide the crowd, these functions are entirely internal to the event,' Weisberg said. 'They are not overseen, sanctioned, or trained by the Salt Lake City Police Department. 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.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
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Man dies after being shot in chaotic scene at Salt Lake City's ‘No Kings' protest
Lisa Anger, left, and Amber Ponder hug near the scene where a man was shot during the 'No Kings' protest in Salt Lake City on Saturday, June 14, 2025. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch) A 39-year-old man died Saturday night after being shot during Salt Lake City's 'No Kings' protest while a crowd of about 10,000 people marched near 151 S. State Street, the Salt Lake City Police Department confirmed Sunday. Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, a Utah resident, was shot at the demonstration. Despite life-saving efforts from SWAT medics and Salt Lake City Fire, Ah Loo died at an area hospital. As of Sunday morning there were still unreleased details about the incident as the investigation is ongoing, Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd said in a news conference. A chaotic scene ensued after two armed men in high visibility vests, who Redd described as 'possibly part of the event's peacekeeping team' saw 24-year-old Arturo Gamboa separating from the crowd, moving behind a wall, pulling out a rifle and starting to manipulate it. 'Gamboa was then confronted by these two men, witnesses say. Gamboa raised the weapon in a firing position and began running toward the crowd,' Redd said on Sunday. 'One of the individuals fired three rounds, striking Gamboa, and tragically striking the man who later died.' The preliminary police investigation found that the victim was not the intended target, 'but rather an innocent bystander participating in the demonstration,' Redd said. Gamboa also sustained a minor gunshot wound in the confrontation. As the scene unfolded, a bystander took a backpack from Gamboa that contained an AR-15 style rifle and a gas mask, Redd said. Gamboa's motivations for being at the protest are still unclear, and there is no indication that others were working with him, Redd said. Detectives booked Gamboa into the Salt Lake County Metro Jail for investigation of murder, police said in a release. Gamboa has no criminal history, police said. Jail documents state he is being held without bail. Police had not taken any action against the two peacekeeping members as of Sunday, Redd said. The man who fired the shots is cooperating with police. 2 people shot, including suspect in custody, during 'No Kings' protest in Salt Lake City, Utah The scene was chaotic and unfolded very quickly, Redd said, but many people assisted the officers. 'The crowd actually pointed him out to law enforcement, and their actions were heroic,' Redd said. In a Facebook post Sunday morning, Utah 50501 — the group that organized Saturday's protest — said it is currently working with police. 'Our team was directly involved. We have been in direct contact with law enforcement,' the Facebook post read. 'Some of you seem to think a keyboard and social media give you a free pass to be nasty and accusatory. Our teams just had to deal with something extremely traumatizing and when faced with personal risk to their own lives, chose to run towards the danger in order to serve this community.' The group said it's working to set up a vigil for the victim. 'We respectfully ask to refrain from speculation about the alleged shooter's motives and identity — that information will come out soon enough. It is better to wait for the facts, even though it is difficult given the emotional and charged nature of this incident,' the group said in a separate Facebook post Sunday morning. '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.' Before the news of Ah Loo's death went public, Salt Lake City Democrats Rep. Jen Dailey-Provost and Sen. Jen Plumb, who represent downtown communities in the Legislature, issued a statement expressing 'distress, dismay and sorrow' about the Saturday shooting in Salt Lake City and the assassination of the Minnesota House Democratic-Farmer-Labor caucus leader Melissa Hortman. The Democrats said that these are 'stark examples of the current crisis of our nation's integrity.' 'As many have stated, violence has no place here,' the lawmakers wrote in a joint statement. 'We would argue more strongly, however, that every elected official must actively partake in changing the horrific rhetoric and divisiveness that drives public discourse in our society today; rhetoric that is supported and perpetuated by many in our state and nation's top leadership positions.' Simple remarks, the lawmakers said, will not suffice as a response. Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, extended condolences to Ah Loo's family in a social media post, describing the incident as 'a heartbreaking situation.' 'My thoughts are with everyone affected,' Adams wrote. 'I also want to express my gratitude to all the security officers whose quick response helped prevent a mass casualty. In difficult moments like this, we must come together with shared compassion and a commitment to unity.' Contributing: Kyle Dunphey SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
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8-month-old baby among 3 dead from shooting at West Valley City carnival
Police respond to a shooting at WestFest at Centennial Park in West Valley City on Sunday, June 15, 2025. (McKenzie Romero/Utah News Dispatch) This story has been updated with more information from the West Valley City Police Department. Three people — including an 8-month-old boy — were killed and two teenagers were injured in a shooting late Sunday night at WestFest, a carnival held every year in West Valley City. Officers arrested a 16-year-old boy in connection with the shooting, according to West Valley City Police Department spokesperson Roxeanne Vainuku. She told reporters he's the 'only suspect in this case' as police continue to investigate what happened. The suspect began firing shots after 'two groups of people' seemed to have 'some sort of verbal altercation,' Vainuku said. She noted two of the three dead — the 8-month-old infant and a 41-year-old woman — were bystanders 'not connected to any of the people in either of the groups.' An 18-year-old man was also shot and killed, who 'we believe is connected and was part of the opposing group that the suspect was in,' she said. Monday afternoon, West Valley City police identified two of the people who were killed. The 18-year-old man was Hassan Lugundi, of West Valley, and the 41-year-old woman was Fnu Reena of West Jordan. Police did not identify the 8-month-old boy or the 16-year-old suspect because they are minors. It's too early to say whether the shooting was related to gang violence, Vainuku said, as police are still investigating. However, she told reporters Monday that it appears that Lugundi, the 18-year-old man who was killed, 'appears to have been the suspect's intended target.' The shooting in West Valley City — Utah's second-most-populated city, behind the state's capital of Salt Lake City — comes on the heels of a deadly shooting that occurred during an otherwise peaceful 'No Kings' protest in downtown Salt Lake City. Saturday, one man, 39-year-old bystander Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, was killed, after police say one of two armed men 'possibly part of the event's peacekeeping team' confronted another man, 24-year-old Arturo Gamboa, who was carrying an AR-15 style rifle. One of the men, reportedly part of the event's security team, fired three shots, grazing Gamboa but also hitting Ah Loo, who was marching with protesters. Ah Loo later died at the hospital, police said. The dust was barely starting to settle from Saturday's tragedy when the shooting at West Valley City broke out Sunday — capping off a chaotic and violent weekend in two separate, crowded public places in Utah. Man dies after being shot in chaotic scene at Salt Lake City's 'No Kings' protest The shooting at WestFest occurred shortly after 9:20 p.m., Vainuku said, after officers who were working at the carnival spotted 'two groups of people who seemed to be having some sort of a verbal altercation.' 'The officers approached these two groups in order to kind of break things up and calm things down,' she said. As the officers neared, they saw the suspect pull out a gun and start firing it at the other group. She said one of the officers fired a single round toward the suspect, but didn't hit him or any of the victims. However, 'they were able to very quickly take the suspect into custody.' Of the five people who were hit, two were injured by gunshot wounds to their arms, according to West Valley City police. One was a 17-year-old girl; the other was a 15-year-old boy. 'They don't appear to have any involvement with the suspect, but also just happened to be in that line of fire,' Vainuku told reporters Monday. In the panic after the shots were fired, a pregnant woman was injured trying to climb a fence to get away, Vainuku said. Several people witnessed the shooting, and police are interviewing them as part of their investigation, she said. 'We're still trying to piece together exactly how the incident started,' Vainuku said. Vainuku also noted that in accordance with Salt Lake County's critical incident protocol, a team led by the Salt Lake City Police Department will investigate the shooting. To preserve the integrity of that investigation, West Valley police officials 'have not talked to either of our officers who actually engaged the suspect.' 'In short, then, there are simply details that we will not know until the investigation is complete,' she said. Vainuku called the shooting at the city's annual festival 'heartbreaking.' 'WestFest is something that is a celebration of our community, a celebration of all of the things that make our community great, a celebration of the diversity and the fun and the good, hard-working people of our community,' she said. 'It's heartbreaking … for all of us to see something like this happen as something that is just a real treasure, something we really enjoy in our community.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE West Valley City Mayor Karen Lang and the West Valley City Council issued a joint statement Monday afternoon saying 'we are heartbroken.' 'What should have been a joyful night of community celebration ended in unimaginable tragedy,' West Valley City leaders said. 'We mourn the lives lost and stand in deep sorrow with the families whose worlds have been forever changed.' Lang and the City Council said West Valley City is a 'community rooted in resilience, compassion, and unity. In the face of heartbreak, we must lean on one another, care for one another, and recommit ourselves to building a safer, stronger community.' They thanked police officers, first responders, and medical teams who 'acted swiftly, as well as the detectives working tirelessly to uncover the full truth.' 'We grieve with you and ask that all of us continue to stand together and support one another,' they said. In response to the statement posted on the city's Facebook page, several commenters called on city leaders to consider improving security for WestFest. 'This was very sad but West Valley City government needs to have some discussions around the security of WestFest,' one commenter said. 'A friend encountered a knife fight as well Saturday night. The festival has progressively had more incidents over the years and residents are uncomfortable taking their children to community events. Sending love and light to all those affected by this tragedy in our community.' Vainuku told reporters Monday that security at WestFest is 'extensive,' but she said city leaders are always open to considering changes. 'Any time that you have a large gathering of people, it would be incumbent upon us, of course, to plan for security to ensure that people are safe. And that's exactly what people had there last night,' she said. 'We had an extensive police presence there, just simply because of the size of the event.' At the time of the shooting, she said an estimated 1,000 to 2,000 people were in attendance as the festival wound down on its final night, scheduled to end at 11 p.m. 'In fact, this shooting took place maybe 100 yards from our police mobile command post,' she said. 'So I think it's fair to say this was not about a lack of resources (or) a lack of police presence. This was about something entirely different.' Vainuku said WestFest's entrance did not include metal detectors. 'That's not something that was in place,' she told reporters. 'I've been asked if that's something that we're considering.' She said 'that's not really a conversation that we're focused on at this moment,' noting that police are focusing on responding to Sunday night's shooting, 'but I can tell you that as a city, we're always dedicated to evaluating and reevaluating and doing the best that we possibly can, whatever that takes.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
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Police investigating ‘peacekeepers' role in fatal shooting at ‘No Kings' protest in Utah
A man receives medical attention after being taken into police custody after a shooting at the 'No Kings' protest in Salt Lake City on Saturday, June 14, 2025. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch) Who were the 'peacekeepers?' And did they have any formal qualifications or training to be acting as armed security? Those questions, among others, remained unanswered Monday after a man marching in the 'No Kings' protest in Salt Lake City, identified as Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, was shot and killed on Saturday. According to police, the shooting happened after two men described as 'peacekeepers' confronted another man, 24-year-old Arturo Gamboa, who was carrying an AR-15 style rifle. One of the men, reportedly part of the event's security team, fired three shots from a handgun, grazing Gamboa but also hitting Ah Loo, who police said was an 'innocent bystander.' Ah Loo later died at the hospital. Man dies after being shot in chaotic scene at Salt Lake City's 'No Kings' protest Shortly after the shooting, police arrested Gamboa, and he was booked into jail for investigation of murder. Police say, however, that Gamboa did not fire his rifle. The two 'peacekeepers,' who wore high-visability vests, were initially detained by police, but were released after being questioned. Police said the man who fired the three shots is cooperating with police. While Utahns grieve the killing of Ah Loo, some applauded the 'peacekeepers'' actions to prevent what could have turned into a mass shooting. Others questioned whether the armed man who shot at Gamboa and inadvertently fatally struck Ah Loo acted appropriately. According to an affidavit of probable cause for Gamboa's arrest, one of the 'peacekeepers' told police he saw Gamboa 'move away from the main crowd into a secluded area behind a wall.' There, he observed Gamboa take out an AR-15 style rifle from his backpack and begin to 'manipulate it.' Then they 'called out to him to drop the gun after drawing their own firearms,' according to the affidavit. '(Gamboa) 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,' the affidavit says. That's when one of the 'peacekeepers' fired three rounds at Gamboa. One of the bullets hit Ah Loo, 'causing a fatal wound.' 'The peacekeepers then attempted to provide medical aid to the victim, who was pronounced dead at the hospital,' the affidavit said. 'Arturo Gamboa was acting under circumstances evidencing a depraved indifference to human life, and knowingly engages in conduct that creates a grave risk of death to another individual and thereby causes the death of the other individual.' In a statement issued Monday afternoon, the Salt Lake City Police Department said it's investigating the involvement of the 'peacekeepers,' as well as other aspects of the protest's organization and staffing. 'At this time, it remains unclear whether these individuals were hired by or volunteered for the event organizers, or acted on their own initiative,' Salt Lake City Police spokesperson Brent Weisberg said. 2 people shot, including suspect in custody, during 'No Kings' protest in Salt Lake City, Utah The 'No Kings' protest was organized by a Utah chapter of the 50501 Movement, a grassroots group that organizes rallies to protest actions by President Donald Trump and his administration. Utah News Dispatch emailed a list of questions to both national and local organizers asking about the role of 'peacekeepers' during the event, how many were in Salt Lake City, how they were vetted, if at all, and whether they had qualifications or training to be acting as armed security during the protest. Those questions, and requests for comment, were not immediately returned Monday. However, in a Sunday post on the national 50501's Facebook page, the group said, 'In the face of this heartbreaking situation, we would like to affirm our commitment to nonviolence and to our non-negotiable prohibition of firearms policy for anyone representing 50501 at any of our actions or events.' 'It is clear we do not have a complete understanding of what happened yet,' the group said. 'What is certain is that, if no guns were present at this protest, this tragedy would have been prevented altogether.' The group added that 'our hearts are with (Ah Loo's) family and community during this time of unimaginable loss and grief.' Sarah Parker, a national coordinator with the 50501 Movement, also described the event's 'peacekeepers' as volunteers who helped direct the march and were responsible for keeping attendees safe, The New York Times reported. She also estimated that 15 to 20 such volunteers were at the protest in Salt Lake City, according to the Times. Volunteer peacekeeping teams are common for protests, Parker told the Associated Press. But she said organizers typically ask attendees, including peacekeepers, not to bring weapons. Still, she said she believed they likely stopped what could have been a larger mass shooting. 'Our safety team did as best as they could in a situation that is extremely sad and extremely scary,' Parker said. In a Facebook post on Sunday, the Utah chapter of the 50501 movement thanked Utahns for their 'outpouring of support for the victim's family.' It also addressed criticism that the group had disclosed the victim had died before Salt Lake City police released that information to the media, saying 'our team was directly involved.' 'Some of you seem to think a keyboard and social media give you a free pass to be nasty and accusatory,' the Facebook post said. 'Our teams just had to deal with something extremely traumatizing and when faced with personal risk to their own lives, chose to run towards the danger in order to serve this community.' In a lengthy statement Monday as questions and criticism swirled around the 'peacekeepers' and their role, Weisberg said the term was first used in a probable cause affidavit for the arrest of Gamboa and later appeared in a news release Sunday, 'reflecting how one of the men questioned self-described as a 'peacekeeper' during interviews with SLCPD detectives in the early stages of the investigation.' 'The SLCPD will be learning more, through its investigation, about the event staffing during this event, including the roles, responsibilities, and terminology of individuals who may have been assisting during the event,' Weisberg said. He added that the term 'peacekeeper' does not 'represent any formal designation recognized by the Salt Lake City Police Department or the City.' And he said there is 'no information, at this time, about whether this is an official term used by the event organizers.' 'There is no record in the event's permit indicating the presence of organized or armed security,' he said. 'Based on the information currently available to the Salt Lake City Police Department, neither of the men identified as 'peacekeepers' are current or former members of law enforcement, including the Salt Lake City Police Department.' Earlier Monday, Utah News Dispatch submitted a list of questions to the Salt Lake City Police Department asking to what extent, if any, the Salt Lake City Police Department had coordinated with event organizers or teams acting as security. The Dispatch also asked whether Salt Lake police officers were aware of 'peacekeepers' concealing or carrying firearms and if they were investigating their qualifications to be acting as security. 'While the Salt Lake City Police Department was aware that Saturday's demonstration would include people in support roles, such as those helping to marshal or guide the crowd, these functions are entirely internal to the event,' Weisberg said. 'They are not overseen, sanctioned, or trained by the Salt Lake City Police Department. 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.' However, Weisberg said the Salt Lake City Police Department's public order unit and its police liaison officers 'worked with event organizers prior to and during Saturday's event to coordinate with the goal of having a peaceful and lawful demonstration.' '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,' Weisberg said. The case remains under investigation. Charges, as of Monday afternoon, had not been filed against Gamboa or anyone else involved in the shooting. The Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office declined to say whether prosecutors are considering filing any charges against the 'peacekeepers' who were involved in the shooting. '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 prepared statement. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Utah is a 'constitutional carry' state, which means it allows the open and concealed carrying of firearms without a permit for those who are legally allowed to possess them. In 2021, with HB60, the Republican-controlled Utah Legislature eliminated the state's concealed carry permit requirements. Now, anyone 21 and over who can legally possess a gun is free to carry it loaded and hidden in public. Unlike 26 other states, Utah has not adopted a law prohibiting the carrying of long guns at state capitols or political protests, according to Everytown Research & Policy, an organization that produces research on gun violence and advocates for gun violence prevention. The group has ranked Utah as No. 36 in the country for 'gun law strength.' No information has been released about the 'peacekeepers,' including how old they are and whether they were legally able to carry and conceal firearms. 'While Utah law governs when and how a person may carry and use a firearm, the lawfulness of any individual's possession or use depends on the specific facts and circumstances of each case,' Weisberg said. In the wake of Saturday's shooting — as well as a shooting the following day at WestFest, a carnival in West Valley City, that left three dead, including an 8-month-old baby — gun control advocates called for change. 8-month-old baby among 3 dead from shooting at West Valley City carnival 'From marching in our communities, to attending carnivals, the recent tragedies in our state makes it clear we are not safe until our state addresses our gun violence crisis,' said Jaden Christensen, a Utah chapter leader of Moms Demand Action. 'This is not freedom, it's a failure of leadership. The gun violence we're seeing across our state and country should be a blaring alarm for lawmakers: it's time to act with the urgency this moment demands. Enough is enough.' Utah House Democrats also issued a statement called the shootings in Utah — along with the slayings of lawmakers in Minnesota — 'heartbreaking, but unfortunately, not surprising.' 'The conditions for this kind of violence have been building for years, driven by a toxic combination of hateful rhetoric and easy access to firearms,' Utah House Democratic leadership said. 'That rhetoric, often amplified by leaders at the local, state, and federal levels, has created an environment that often leads to violence.' They added that their Republican colleagues 'insist that 'guns don't kill people — people kill people.' Yet many of those same leaders use their platforms to target marginalized communities, spread misinformation, and stoke division.' 'We urge all elected officials to reflect on the impact of their words and how they contribute to the dangerous climate we face today,' they said. 'As a caucus, we remain committed to advancing policies that reduce gun violence, promote accountability, and protect the safety and dignity of every Utahn. We call on others to join us in that commitment.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
