What to know about the shooting that killed a demonstrator at a Utah 'No Kings' rally

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The “No Kings” protest in Salt Lake City was struck by violence when a man allegedly brandished a rifle near the crowd, prompting a volunteer for the event to fire three shots, hitting the man and a protester who later died, according to police and event organizers.

Arturo Gamboa, 24, never shot his rifle, but was arrested on a murder charge and accused of creating the dangerous situation Saturday that led to the death of protester Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, police said.

The investigation includes whether the man who shot Gamboa and Ah Loo was justified in firing his gun, the Salt Lake City Police Department said Monday.

Questions remain over why Gamboa was carrying a rifle and what he intended to do with it. Protest organizers said late Monday that the person who confronted him was a volunteer on a “safety team” that was supposed to help maintain order during the demonstration.

The permit for the protest did not specify that there would be armed security, police said. The role and responsibilities of event staff were being investigated, they said.

Here’s what is known so far about the shooting:

How did the shooting unfold?

Hundreds of protesters were marching through downtown Salt Lake City on Saturday when, around 8 p.m., two men said they spotted Gamboa, who was wearing all black clothing, move behind a wall and then withdraw a rifle from a backpack, according to a news release from police.

The two men drew their handguns and ordered Gamboa to drop the rifle, but witnesses said the young man instead moved toward the crowd and held his rifle in a “firing position,” according to police.

One of the two men shot three rounds, hitting Gamboa and Ah Loo. Gamboa's wound was relatively minor and he was arrested by police nearby, who found a rifle, gas mask and backpack in the area.

Ah Loo died after being taken to a hospital.

Police said they don't yet know why Gamboa carried a rifle or disobeyed the orders from the two men. The Associated Press could not immediately find attorney listed for Gamboa or contact information for his family in public records.

Was the man who shot Gamboa and Ah Loo a “peacekeeper”?

The man and a second person who confronted Gamboa wore neon green vests, and one of them later described himself to investigators as a “peacekeeper.” Their identities have not been publicly released.

Police said Monday the term peacekeeper was not a formal designation recognized by the Salt Lake Police Department or the city, adding that there was no indication that the men were current or former members of law enforcement.

Protests often have safety teams — sometimes called safety marshals — that help keep order during a demonstration. Utah 50501, which helped organize the demonstrations, said the person who confronted Gamboa was a military veteran but did not give further details on the person's training or explain why he was armed.

“Our team of safety volunteers, who have been selected because of their military, first responder, and other relevant de-escalation experience, believed there was an imminent threat to the protestors and took action,” the group said in a statement.

For the “No Kings” protests, all attendees, including those in safety roles, were asked not to bring weapons, said Sarah Parker, a national coordinator for 50501 Movement.

Who was the protester who was killed?

Ah Loo was a successful fashion designer and former “Project Runway” contestant who devoted his life to celebrating artists from the Pacific Islands.

Benjamin Powell, a friend of Ah Loo's, said the designer was born in Samoa but lived in Utah for about a decade.

Ah Loo, who was a self-taught designer known to many as Afa, devoted his life to doing “good things for his neighbors and community,” state Rep. Verona Mauga, a close friend, told The Associated Press. Their families were from the small village of Lotopa in Samoa, she said.

The 39-year-old leaves behind a wife and two young children, according to a GoFundMe page for his family.

Powell said he and Ah Loo were working on an upcoming August fashion show, which Powell said will now honor Ah Loo’s unwavering commitment to his community.