On the evening of June 14, 2025, a tragic shooting at a 'No Kings' protest in Salt Lake City, Utah, claimed the life of Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, a 39-year-old Samoan man. Ah Loo, a talented fashion designer and a peaceful participant in the demonstration, was unintentionally struck by gunfire and later succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital. The incident occurred at approximately 7:56 p.m.
near 151 South State Street, where a Salt Lake City police sergeant reported hearing gunshots.
The investigation revealed that Ah Loo was an innocent bystander and not the intended target of the shooting. The events leading to his death began when two men, described as volunteer "peacekeepers" for the protest, observed a 24-year-old man named Arturo Gamboa acting suspiciously. Gamboa, dressed in black and wearing a mask, allegedly brandished an AR-15-style rifle. In response to what he perceived as a threat to the crowd, one of the peacekeepers, later identified as Matt Alder, fired three shots from a handgun. One of these shots fatally wounded Ah Loo, while another injured Gamboa.
In the immediate aftermath, Arturo Gamboa was arrested and initially charged with murder, based on the accusation that his actions created a dangerous situation that led to Ah Loo's death. However, it was later determined that Gamboa did not fire his weapon, which was reportedly unloaded. After a week in custody, Gamboa was released as prosecutors determined there was insufficient evidence to proceed with the murder charge against him.
As of October 2025, no charges had been filed against Matt Alder, the man who fired the fatal shot. The Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office has stated that the investigation is ongoing and that they are still considering whether charges are warranted against the peacekeeper. In response to the lack of charges, Arthur Folasa Ah Loo's widow announced her intention to file a wrongful death lawsuit, seeking accountability for her husband's death, which she described as the result of "individual, organizational and systemic failures." The family and their attorneys are also calling for an independent investigation and reforms to how protests are permitted and secured in Salt Lake City.
