this post was submitted on 16 Jun 2025
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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.

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[–] LesserAbe@lemmy.world 45 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (12 children)

What I'm reading is that the guy with a rifle, Gamboa, has attended protests armed before. It looks like the peacekeeper thought he was a shooter, but there's no evidence so far Gamboa did anything illegal.

[–] Dempf@lemmy.zip 23 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (3 children)

That is what I'm thinking. At first I went along with the speculation that Gamboa was intending to shoot into the crowd. But after reviewing the video, it looks more like he was just walking and open carrying with the rifle pointed down. It might not have been the best move in hindsight, but he had the legal right to do so.

Also after listening to his Slugmag interview I'm just not seeing the motivation for a mass shooting. Unless maybe he intended to shoot cops or something. He just doesn't seem to fit the profile & ideology of a mass shooter.

Edit: the interview if anyone is curious https://www.slugmag.com/soundwaves/episode-364-rade/

[–] ThinkBeforeYouPost@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Which video are you talking about? Please provide a link.

EDIT: I think this is it. The short snippet shows the barrel pointed down. Having a masked gunman in a crowd of people is terrifying af!

https://imgur.com/a/z3J25EB

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[–] DarkFuture@lemmy.world 14 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

It looks like the peacekeeper thought he was a shooter

As he should.

Brandish a firearm in public, you are attempting to intimidate others, so you'll get treated like the terrorist you are.

[–] LilB0kChoy@midwest.social 8 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Brandish a firearm in public

Be real careful applying the term "brandish".

Utah is a constitutional carry state, meaning anyone 21+ who can legally own a firearm can carry it concealed or openly without a permit.

In my state, Minnesota, you have to take a class and qualify to carry a firearm and during the state approved training your told to follow these steps:

  1. No force - avoidance, retreat or de-escalating
  2. No force - Telephone for help, Verbal warning
  3. Unarmed self defense
  4. Less than lethal - exposing firearm
  5. Deadly force - pointing the firearm at another person, shooting at someone, shooting and killing someone
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[–] Ironfist79@lemmy.world 7 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Isn't this what the NRA wants? Sounds like a good guy with a gun stopped a potential mass shooting.

[–] LesserAbe@lemmy.world 14 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (4 children)

I just posted elsewhere, but in short, there's no proof that Gamboa brandished a gun, and I've seen a video which looked like he was pointing the rifle downward. Not saying it can't go the other way once more info comes out, but just like when you shouldn't automatically take the police's word when they shoot someone, we shouldn't take the word of private security.

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[–] Crikeste@lemm.ee 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I know Arturo, he was there to support the protests. He was NOT going to do a mass shooting, as he has taken his gun to at least one other protest with no incident.

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[–] LesserAbe@lemmy.world 6 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

That's not the law, or reality in America. It's a regular occurrence at certain protests for people to open carry weapons. Not saying I would do it, but it's not sufficient cause to shoot someone.

[–] kata1yst@sh.itjust.works 12 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

Open carry and brandish have distinct legal definitions.

[–] LesserAbe@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

This gif isn't loading on my phone, but supposedly it's the same as a video I had seen earlier - it shows Gamboa walking towards the street but his rifle is pointed down. It also shows the yellow vested people pointing their guns toward him. If the gif also doesn't work for you, scroll further up in the thread to at least see screenshots. The op of that thread, Chad Loder, has been commenting on this shooting a fair amount. https://bsky.app/profile/nope-notnow.bsky.social/post/3lrp7xsx3vs22

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[–] thebestaquaman@lemmy.world 7 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Brandishing a weapon is not the same as carrying it. Brandishing is what you do when moving the firearm in a way that indicates you are threatening to shoot. In the worst case, it involves pointing the firearm at someone.

If someone purposely points a firearm at you, you have every right to fire in self defence. At least those were the rules of engagement we were taught regarding interactions with civilians at home when I was in the army.

[–] LesserAbe@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

This gif isn't loading on my phone, but supposedly it's the same as a video I had seen earlier - it shows Gamboa walking towards the street but his rifle is pointed down. It also shows the yellow vested people pointing their guns toward him. If the gif also doesn't work for you, scroll further up in the thread to at least see screenshots. The op of that thread, Chad Loder, has been commenting on this shooting a fair amount. https://bsky.app/profile/nope-notnow.bsky.social/post/3lrp7xsx3vs22

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[–] AlDente@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

The only people brandishing in the video are the self-described "peacekeepers" who are aiming their pistols into the crowd. The open-carrier isn't even looking their way and appears just as surprised as everyone else when one of these peacekeepers starts blasting (with minimal awareness or concern for whomever else was downrange).

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[–] DogWater@lemmy.world 7 points 2 weeks ago

Yeah in another thread there's an interview of the rifleman from his time in a punk band talking about the system. This is likely going to be a shit show when the partisan pundits pick it up

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[–] DarkFuture@lemmy.world 41 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

Oh look. A conservative traitor instigated the violence.

I am many shades of unsurprised.

Domestic terrorists folks. Every last one. Because they've all chosen to support it despite knowing. Time to start treating them like the terrorists they are.

[–] AlDente@sh.itjust.works 7 points 1 week ago (1 children)

It's being reported that Arturo is an activist who regularly open-carries in support at protests. Meanwhile you're making confidently incorrect claims that he is a conservative traitor and terrorist. Stay classy.

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[–] BassTurd@lemmy.world 21 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Maybe guns are bad, and maybe if you bring a rifle to a high tense situation and hold it in any manner that may seem threatening, you deserve to get shot. Super sad that an innocent died. Had the "good guy" with a gun hit the target only, then at least there would only be one less moron carrying an AR-15 today, not a sad casualty.

[–] DarkFuture@lemmy.world 6 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Yup. If you brandish a firearm in public, you are clearly trying to intimidate others. You deserve to be shot down.

[–] NotASharkInAManSuit@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago (14 children)

Does this apply to the people that open carry AR-15s when they go to McDonalds?

[–] Malek061@lemmy.world 6 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Yes. Ammosexuals should be illegal.

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[–] martin4598@lemm.ee 6 points 1 week ago

Welcome to a country where "protest peacekeepers" carry guns, and can shoot into the crowd and put the blame on someone else whi just happened to be armed as well.

Do you, American brothers, realize the sheer level of insanity you live in?

[–] Bluefalcon@discuss.tchncs.de 5 points 2 weeks ago

I assume the national guard and marines will roam the syreets of SLC now.

[–] axEl7fB5@lemmy.cafe 5 points 1 week ago (5 children)

The comments are too fucking confusing. Who shot who?

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