The Salt Lake City Police Department is being “tight-lipped” about the ongoing investigation into the “No Kings” protest.
On Wednesday, Salt Lake City Chief of Police Brian Redd went before state lawmakers to brief them on the status of the incident that took the life of innocent bystander Arthur Folasa “Afa” Ah Loo, 39, and injured Arturo Gamboa, 24, who was arrested after allegedly waving around an AR-15-style rifle at the protest.
Three rounds of fire were reportedly fired by a self-described “peacekeeper” for the event, with one grazing Gamboa and another fatally injuring Ah Loo.
Sen. Todd D. Weiler, R-Woods Cross, told the Deseret News there was so little information given that a phone call wasn’t even worth having. “They just told me that the investigation was continuing,” he said. “They were very tight-lipped.”
Before Redd’s briefings, he informed reporters inside the state Capitol that the investigation is ongoing, and the department will persist in its efforts to uncover all the answers.
But many questions remain unanswered.
Was the peacekeeper adequately trained for a protest situation? Are manslaughter charges for the peacekeeper a possibility? Is there any evidence that Gamboa was actually trying to shoot people? Did Gamboa actually break any laws? Did peacekeepers have the authority to act as law enforcement even though the SLCPD was at the protest, too?
When will we have more answers?
House Minority Leader Angela Romero, D-Salt Lake City, told the Deseret News that her team is in constant communication with the SLCPD to ensure the process continues efficiently.
“While we all want answers, we must allow the investigation to run its course before the District Attorney’s Office determines how to proceed,” she said. “We recognize the profound impact this event has had on many communities across Utah. We remain committed to working with local law enforcement to ensure a fair and transparent legal process. We urge everyone to respect the family’s request for privacy at this time.”
“The death of Arthur ‘Afa’ Folasa Ah Loo during the ‘No Kings’ march is a deeply tragic and troubling event. Arthur was a beloved member of our community, and our thoughts are with his family as they navigate this time of immense grief.”
During a House majority press conference, House Speaker Mike Schultz told the Deseret News that despite the multiple tragedies that struck Utah last weekend, including the lives lost at West Valley City’s WestFest carnival, “I’m really proud of the way Salt Lake City and the state of Utah came together” and that he looks forward to working with the police department.
“I’m 100% confident in Salt Lake City’s police department. I really am. I believe that it’ll be treated fairly. They’ll do the proper investigation and the answers that a lot of us have, to be honest,” he added. “We want to make sure that we maintain the importance and the innocence of an active investigation.”