‘No Kings’ protest investigation is now in the hands of the DA

SALT LAKE CITY — The investigation into the deadly shooting at the June ‘No Kings’ protest is now in the hands of the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office.

On Wednesday, Brent Weisberg, the spokesman for the Salt Lake City Police Department, said that the department’s findings have been turned over to the DA’s office after a presentation on July 2.

“While there are certain instances where we may provide input, charging decisions are ultimately made by the prosecuting attorney,” Weisberg said. “In this particular case, the SLCPD did not offer a charging recommendation but instead presented our initial investigative findings to the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office for review and determination.”

In a statement, Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said his office received the police department’s findings, but that the “investigation is not complete.”

“As with many investigations referred to the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office, there is follow-up work to be done. This continues to be an open case without any formal conclusions at this stage of the proceedings,” Gill said.

After the July 2 presentation, Gill said prosecutors requested “follow-up work” from detectives after reviewing the evidence.

The Day of the shooting

The 50501 Movement organized several protests across the country, all on On June 14, to “take a stand against authoritarianism.”

The Salt Lake City protest began in Pioneer Park following an earlier demonstration at the University of Utah. This protest gathered approximately 10,000 people, according to SLCPD.

 

While the protest began peacefully, as demonstrators reached 100 S. 200 E., shots were fired by a so-called “peacekeeper,” according to police.

Initially, SLCPD said that two peacekeepers saw 24-year-old Arturo Roberto Gamboa pull out a rifle and begin to “manipulate” it near 151 S. State.

“Gamboa was then confronted by these two men. Witnesses say Gamboa raised the weapon in a firing position and began running toward the crowd,” Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd said during a press conference on June 15.

One of the peacekeepers fired three rounds, with one bullet hitting Gamboa in the stomach, according to police.

Police said other demonstrators called officers near 100 S. 200 East, where they found Gamboa “hiding in a group of people” and took him into custody.

SLCPD said that officers “recovered an AR-15-style rifle, a gas mask, and a backpack ” from Gamboa. He was then transported by ambulance.

The gunfire injured another man, 39-year-old Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, and he was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

SLCPD said the two peacekeepers were taken into police custody. The two peacekeepers were wearing high-visibility vests and were armed.

 

Death and Arrest

The next day, SLCPD announced that Ah Loo died from his injuries while at the hospital, and Gamboa was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on suspicion of murder.

“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,” police wrote in Gamboa’s jail probable cause statement.

‘We lost a very important person’: Family, friends mourn protester killed in ‘No Kings’ protest shooting

 

During the June 15 press conference, the SLCPD stated that no action was being taken against the two peacekeepers.

Five days later, Gamboa was released from the Salt Lake County Jail after the DA’s office opted not to formally charge Gamboa for the murder of Ah Loo. However, the office said the case was under investigation and Gamboa could still face charges.

“It was determined that we will not be able to make an informed decision by Monday (June 23) at 5 p.m. as to the culpability, if any, as to Mr. Gamboa in relation to the fatal shooting of Arthur Folasa Ah Loo at the ‘No Kings’ Protest,” the DA’s office said on June 20.

‘Peacekeepers’

Days after Gamboa’s release, KSL obtained the permit for the No Kings protest, indicating that organizers would not be hiring private security or off-duty Salt Lake City police officers for the event.

However, because the peacekeepers were volunteers, it’s unclear if their presence went against the organizer’s answers in the online permit form.

Additionally, the organization listed on the application is Utah Protest and Rally LLC. KSL confirmed with the Utah Department of Commerce that the company is not a registered LLC in Utah.

 

The 50501 Movement also announced that it was cutting ties with the Salt Lake City branch, saying the organization has a strict, no weapons policy.

“Due to SLC 50501’s disregard for our nonnegotiable values, we are no longer affiliated,” the organization said in its post.

During this time, SLCPD said it was still investigating the role of the two peacekeepers, such as whether the protest organizers appointed them, or they volunteered, or were hired or self-appointed.

As of Wednesday, neither the police nor the DA’s office has hinted at charging the peacekeepers for any crimes.

How Utah’s self-defense law could impact charging decisions in deadly ‘No Kings’ protest shooting

 

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Editor’s Note: This story was updated to clarify that SLCPD did not advocate for charges to be filed or not to be filed in this case. 

Previous reporting:

• Protest permit gives insight into security hiring before fatal shooting
• How Utah’s self-defense law could impact charging decisions in deadly protest shooting
• Man jailed after ‘No Kings’ rally to be released as state considers charges
• A witness sheltered in an alcove after ‘No Kings’ shooting in Salt Lake. So did a suspect
• ‘We lost a very important person,’ Family, friends mourn protester killed in ‘No Kings’ protest shooting
• ‘Innocent bystander’ shot, killed at ‘No Kings’ protest in downtown Salt Lake, suspect arrested

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Editor’s Note: This story was updated to clarify that SLCPD did not advocate for charges to be filed or not to be filed in this case.