Arthur Folasa Ah Loo: Protester killed at Utah 'No Kings' rally was a fashion designer from 'Project Runway'
Share this @internewscast.com

The man who was shot and killed during the “No Kings” protest in Salt Lake City was a prominent fashion designer and a former contestant on “Project Runway.” He dedicated his career to promoting artists from the Pacific Islands.

Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, aged 39, died on Saturday night when two men fired shots at an individual reportedly displaying a rifle at the protestors, accidentally injuring Ah Loo in the stomach. He succumbed to his injuries later at the hospital, authorities reported.

According to Salt Lake City police, it remained uncertain as of Monday whether the two individuals, one of whom claimed to be part of a “peacekeeping” team for the demonstration, were officially involved by the event’s organizers or acted independently.

Arturo Gamboa, 24, never shot the rifle he pointed at protesters, but police arrested him on murder charges and said he created the dangerous situation that led to Ah Loo’s death. Police said they were investigating whether the man who shot at Gamboa – and fatally hit Ah Loo – was justified in firing his gun. He has not been identified publicly.

This undated photo shows Utah State Rep. Verona Mauga and Arthur Afa Ah Loo.

This undated photo shows Utah State Rep. Verona Mauga and Arthur Afa Ah Loo.

Mauga via AP

Victim was a self-taught designer

Ah Loo leaves behind a wife and two young children, according to a GoFundMe page for his family that raised over $100,000 in 48 hours.

The self-taught fashion designer known to many as Afa devoted his life to doing “good things for his neighbors and community,” state Rep. Verona Mauga, a close friend, told The Associated Press. Their families were from the small village of Lotopa in Samoa, she said.

Ah Loo was born in Samoa and has lived in Utah for about a decade, his friend Benjamin Powell said.

Mauga, who was born in Hawaii, was at the “No Kings” protest a few blocks from where Ah Loo was shot. The Democratic lawmaker said she only realized something was wrong when she saw the crowd scattering.

Peaceful protest turns deadly

The protest Saturday was one of hundreds in cities nationwide to counter President Donald Trump’s military parade in Washington, which marked the Army’s 250th anniversary and coincided with Trump’s birthday.

There is no record in the Salt Lake City event permit indicating that armed security would be present, police said.

Carl Moore, a 49-year-old Indigenous advocate, was filming the protest when three gunshots rang out through the crowd estimated at 10,000 people. Moore said he observed confusion among police as protesters hid behind barriers and took shelter inside parking garages and nearby businesses.

“They don’t know what they’re looking for. They’re just yelling like, ‘What does he look like?'” Moore recalled.

Weaving culture and community through fashion

Mauga said Ah Loo would have been proud that his last moments were spent advocating for what he believed in.

“If Afa was going to go out any other way than natural causes, it would be standing up for marginalized and vulnerable communities and making sure that people had a voice,” she said.

Powell, a hair salon innovator from Fiji, co-founded Create Pacific with Ah Loo shortly after they met four years ago. The organization uplifts artists from the Pacific Islands, allowing a new generation to connect with their heritage.

The two artists were friends with a rare creative synergy, Powell said. Ah Loo’s vibrant work weaves traditional Pacific Island attire with modern silhouettes and design. He used flowers indigenous to Samoa as motifs and frequently incorporated Tapa, a cloth traditionally made from tree bark in the Pacific Islands, into the garments he created.

Powell admired Ah Loo’s attention to detail that made his work distinctive.

“You would know right away that it was an Ah Loo design,” he said.

Ah Loo was a contestant in 2019 on Bravo’s “Project Runway,” a reality show where fashion designers compete in front of celebrity judges to create runway looks on tight deadlines.

Recently, he designed a garment for the star of the animated Disney movie “Moana 2,” Hawaiian actor Aulii Cravalho. According to an interview with Vogue, Cravalho wore the outfit inspired by the Hawaiian ahu ula – a feather cloak worn by ancient Hawaiian royalty – to the film’s red carpet premiere in Hawaii last November.

A posthumous honor

In an Instagram post Monday, Cravalho said there were “no words to hold the grief of losing” Ah Loo.

“My deepest condolences, sympathies and Aloha to his family, and all who felt his impact,” Cravalho wrote.

Powell and Ah Loo were working on an upcoming August fashion show when he died. Powell said the show will continue and will honor Ah Loo’s unwavering commitment to his community.

Ah Loo also volunteered his time and resources to tailor clothing for people who needed help, often refusing to let people compensate him for his work, Mauga said. Sometimes, he would playfully criticize the outfits the state lawmaker wore on the campaign trail and invite her to his studio so he could make her new blazers or dresses.

“He was just very involved in whatever was going on in the community,” Mauga said. “He cared about making a difference.”

___

Riddle reported from Montgomery, Alabama. Associated Press writers Jesse Bedayn in Denver and Beatrice Dupuy in New York City contributed reporting.

Copyright © 2025 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Aaron Judge’s game-ending sac fly leads Yankees to stunning comeback win over Mariners

Aaron Judge’s Sacrifice Fly Seals Yankees’ Thrilling Comeback Victory Against Mariners

The Yankees avoided being on the wrong side of history and then…
Trial date set for Austin Metcalf’s suspected killer in track meet stabbing

Court Date Scheduled for Austin Metcalf’s Alleged Track Meet Attacker

The 18-year-old suspect accused of killing high school track star Austin Metcalf…
'General Hospital,' 'The View,' 'Live with Kelly and Mark,' and Anthony Mackie are among the Daytime Emmy Awards nominees.

Daytime Emmy Nominations Include ‘General Hospital,’ ‘The View,’ ‘Live with Kelly and Mark,’ and Anthony Mackie

LOS ANGELES — The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences has…

Desperate Plea: Travis Decker ‘Sighting’ Ignored by Police for Weeks, Leaving Me Feeling Unsettled

A NURSE reported that she spent several weeks urging the police to…
New England serial killer fears reignited after paddleboarder's murder in quiet coastal town

Concerns of a New England serial killer resurface after paddleboarder is found dead in serene seaside community

Officials are advising residents to stay composed after a paddleboarder’s murder in…
Singer Chris Brown pleads not guilty to 2 further charges over London nightclub assault case

Chris Brown Maintains Innocence Against Additional London Nightclub Assault Charges

LONDON — Grammy-winning singer Chris Brown on Friday entered a not guilty…
Trump calls Butler widow, Secret Service agrees to meeting after call for accountability

Trump Phones Widow of Butler: Secret Service Accepts Meeting Following Demand for Responsibility

The widow of Corey Comperatore, a victim of a shooting at a…
Portrait of Colonel Sergei Ilyin in military uniform.

Top Russian Commander, Accused of War Crimes and Atrocities, Killed in Ukraine Attack

VLADIMIR Putin’s brutal war machine was dealt another blow today as Moscow…
Caribbean police work to ID body found during search for missing American as nearby security guard was killed

Caribbean Authorities Seek to Identify Body Found During Search for Missing American After Nearby Security Guard Killing

A security guard was killed about 9 miles from where an American…
Federal audit of Rebuild Florida Program underway

Federal Review Begins for Rebuild Florida Initiative

The Deputy Inspector General for HUD discusses an audit of the Rebuild…
Parents crashing honeymoons becomes bizarre new travel trend

Unexpected Trend: Parents Tagging Along on Honeymoon Trips

Traditionally, a honeymoon serves as a unique getaway for newlyweds to relax…
EMBARGOED TO 0001 SUNDAY JULY 6 File photo dated 10/06/25 of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer during a reception for London Tech Week, at no 10 Downing Street, London. Sir Keir Starmer has been urged not to "punish" children by keeping the two-child cap following Labour's U-turn on benefit cuts. The SNP urged the Prime Minister to end the limit amid reports it could stay as a result of Labour scrapping most of its welfare reforms. Issue date: Sunday July 6, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire

Keir Affirms His Commitment to ‘Island of Strangers’ Message, Emphasizing the Need for UK to Be an Integrated Society

SIR Keir Starmer has affirmed his ongoing commitment to the message behind…