Updated: Man accused of murder at Salt Lake City 'No Kings' protest is a radical leftist
The actual shooter, a volunteer 'peacekeeper' for the protest in place of police, may have fatally misjudged the situation before firing off rounds into the crowd, killing a bystander
Update June 16, 2025: The story has been updated with additional details and video of the shooting.
A Latino radical leftist and alleged Antifa supporter has been charged with murder after allegedly causing the conditions that resulted in a Samoan man being killed at the Salt Lake City "No Kings" protest on June 14.
Arturo Gamboa, a 24-year-old member of the leftist Utah-based punk band Rade, was apprehended at the scene wearing all black and having a semi-automatic rifle. A "No Kings" liberal "peacekeeper" volunteer with bad aim tried taking out Gamboa with three shots, but instead, fatally wounded a bystander. The “peacekeeper” may have seriously misjudged the situation, as it’s unclear if Gamboa was actively posing a threat.
The “No Kings” protest organizers, who are part of nearly 200 Democrat-aligned unions, PACS, nonprofits, and activist groups, did not want a significant police presence there and relied on these “peacekeepers” instead.
Many left-wing activists are encouraged to believe that they are constantly under threat of mass killings by MAGA white supremacists or police, leading them to both open and concealed carry at their events while in a state of paranoia.
Arthur “Afa” Ah Loo, a 39-year-old fashion designer, died from his injuries in hospital. Suspect Gamboa only suffered a graze wound.
Gamboa previously told music publication Slug Mag that he detested American global influence, citing racism.
“This is exactly how the system is meant to function,” he said. “The American system is a steam train that’s always been fueled by black and brown bodies.”
Conservative independent journalist Tayler Hansen brought attention to a Facebook profile for a Utah-based person with the same name as the murder suspect. The page is filled with posts in support of Antifa, Black Lives Matter and other radical leftist causes.
In one post made during the 2020 BLM-Antifa riots, the “Arturo Gamboa” reposted a message that reads: If you are anti-antifa then you are pro fascist … If you support Trump, you support a fascist.” This same sentiment was echoed widely at the “No Kings” protest where the shooting occurred.
A newly discovered post from 2021 states that Gamboa is a leftist who brings a rifle to left-wing demonstrations to deter “alot [sic] of Rittenhouses.” Kyle Rittenhouse was the conservative teenager acquitted of intentional double homicide after shooting three violent leftist rioters in Kenosha, Wisc. in 2020 who attacked him.
The Facebook post provides credence to the hypothesis that the “peacekeeper” shooter may have mistook Gamboa for a far-right threat.
The "peacekeeper" who fired the deadly shots has not been named and the Salt Lake City Police have not stated if he will face any charges. The police have provided a QR code and are asking for anyone with evidence about the shooting to submit it to investigators.
Meanwhile, Democrats and liberal media are obfuscating the details of the shooting, leading some in the public to think a pro-Trump gunman killed a protester and that the protest was peaceful.
This is sickening and 100% the fault of the Democrat "leadership" and their violent rhetoric. How can they not see that radical Socialist ideology ALWAYS leads to violence and murder? It has for centuries.
Always.
Without fail.
Liberal peacekeeper with bad aim. You better be damn sure you can make the shot if you're not a LEO and if the AuntieFlo prick didn't shoot first and was only brandishing, that's manslaughter at a minimum. In the immortal words of Yoda: "do, or do not, there is no try"