Crime
Arthur Folasa Ah Loo killed in shooting at Salt Lake ‘No Kings Day’ event, suspect Arturo Gamboa arrested
Salt Lake City, UT — A protest in downtown Salt Lake City turned deadly Saturday evening when a designated private peacekeeper opened fire after confronting an armed individual, unintentionally killing a bystander.
The suspect, 24-year-old Arturo Gamboa, a Utah resident with no prior criminal history, has been arrested and charged with murder.
According to Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd, the incident occurred around 8:00 p.m. near 100 South and 200 East during a “No Kings Day” demonstration.
Officers from the department’s Motor Squad were on duty nearby when they heard gunfire. Responding officers arrived on the scene and found 39-year-old Arthur Folasa Ah Loo lying on the ground with a gunshot wound.
Despite emergency aid from SWAT medics and paramedics, Ah Loo was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Authorities say the situation escalated when Gamboa, armed with an AR-15-style rifle, was observed by two individuals believed to be private armed security assigned to monitor the protest.
Witnesses reported that Gamboa had separated himself from the crowd and concealed himself briefly behind a wall before emerging with the weapon.
Gamboa then raised the rifle into a firing position and began moving toward the crowd.
One of the peacekeepers, fearing an imminent threat, fired three rounds from a handgun.
One round struck Gamboa in the left side of his abdomen, and another tragically hit Ah Loo, an uninvolved and peaceful protest participant.
Gamboa, though wounded, attempted to flee by blending back into the crowd. Bystanders quickly pointed him out to police officers, who arrested him without further incident.
During his apprehension, officers recovered the AR-15-style rifle, a gas mask, and a backpack in Gamboa’s possession.
Investigators later confirmed that Gamboa never fired his weapon.
All shots were discharged by the security personnel. However, under Utah law — consistent with legal principles in many jurisdictions — an individual can be charged with murder if their criminal actions create circumstances that directly result in someone’s death.
Salt Lake City Police are actively working with the District Attorney’s Office to review the case and determine if further charges will be pursued.
The police department has not commented on whether prior tips about a man carrying an assault-style weapon inside a local Maverik convenience store, as mentioned in witness Facebook videos, are substantiated.
The incident remains under thorough investigation.
Authorities have asked anyone with video or information related to the shooting to contact law enforcement.
Crime
Venezuelan national Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis shot in the leg by an immigration agent in Minneapolis
On January 14, 2025, federal law enforcement personnel were engaged in a targeted enforcement operation involving Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan national who has been present in the United States since 2022.
The operation escalated into a high-speed pursuit, a physical confrontation, and an ambush by multiple subjects, necessitating the use of a defensive firearm discharge by a federal agent.
At approximately 6:50 PM, federal officers initiated a targeted traffic stop of a vehicle operated by Sosa-Celis.
The subject refused to comply with law enforcement commands and attempted to flee the scene.
During the pursuit, the subject’s vehicle collided with a stationary, parked car.
Following the collision, the subject abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene on foot.
A federal agent pursued the suspect on foot and successfully intercepted him. As the agent attempted to effect an arrest, the subject became combative, resulting in a violent struggle on the ground.
During this confrontation, two additional male subjects emerged from a nearby residence to intervene.
These individuals reportedly ambushed the agent, utilizing a snow shovel and a broom handle to strike the officer.
The situation escalated when the primary suspect, Sosa-Celis, regained his footing and joined the two additional subjects in the assault.
Reports indicate the suspect struck the agent with a blunt object (identified as either the shovel or broom handle).
Citing an immediate threat to his life while being outnumbered and actively assaulted by three individuals, the agent discharged his service weapon in self-defense.
The discharge struck Sosa-Celis in the lower extremity (leg). Following the shot, all three suspects retreated into a nearby apartment complex and initiated a barricade situation.
Following a brief standoff, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) successfully secured the perimeter and apprehended all three individuals without further injury.
Both the federal agent and Sosa-Celis were transported to a local medical facility for treatment.
Images from the scene showed Sosa-Celis conscious and alert during transport.
All three subjects involved in the assault are currently in the custody of ICE.
Further charges related to the assault on a federal officer and resisting arrest are pending review by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.