Accused 'Project Runway' Killer Described as Punk Rocker who Became 'Radicalized' and 'Frustrated' with America Before Brandishing Weapon at Utah 'No Kings' Rally
Arturo Gamboa is being held in connection with the death of Arthur Folasa Ah Loo.
June 18 2025, Published 1:30 p.m. ET
The man being held in the death of Project Runway contestant Arthur Folasa Ah Loo was a punk rocker who previously described himself as "radicalized" and "frustrated" with the United States, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Arturo Gamboa reportedly brandished an AR-15 and pointed it at a "No Kings" rally crowd in Salt Lake City.
Arturo Gamboa was detained for brandishing a weapon at a peace rally.
When a "peacekeeper volunteer" at the event ordered the man to drop his weapon, he failed to do so. Instead, Gamboa ran toward the crowd, and a peacekeeper opened fire on him.
Ah Loo was caught in the crossfire and later died at a local hospital.
Authorities soon found 24-year-old Gamboa crouching among a group of people with a gunshot wound. He was dressed in all black clothing and wearing a black mask, and an AR-15-style rifle was also nearby.
Officers also located a gas mask, black clothing, and a backpack nearby.
Even though Gamboa did not fire his weapon, he remains behind bars on suspicion of Ah Loo’s murder
Punk Rocker Activist
The punk rocker said he was 'frustrated' by America.
Gamboa was known in the community for being an activist and punk rocker. In a 2021 interview with Slug Magazine, he described himself as "radicalized" by "the American system," which he called a steam train that has always been fueled by black and brown bodies."
He said music helps him illustrate his frustrations with the United States.
"These systems need to be dismantled," Gamboa said.
"I remember a very significant point in my radicalization was being a young child and seeing the entirety of the murder of Trayvon Martin, and that really being the first time that it clicked fully...
"It was very clear that only white men were created equal, that really was just opening the floodgates truly for me to understand the true horrors of living in America and the American system."
Gamboa also described listening to a punk-rock drummer encouraging fans of the music to "do something" instead of simply cheering.
"That really made a switch flip in my brain, and that was another integral part in the radicalization," Gamboa revealed.
Tragic Miscommunication
Authorities tried to revive Arthur Folasa Ah Loo at the scene.
While he awaits a decision on formal charges, friends are urging the public not to rush to conclusions about Gamboa.
Konrad Keele told Salt Lake City Fox affiliate KSTU he believes the shooting was a tragic miscommunication of someone overreacting after they saw Gamboa open-carrying a firearm, which is legal in Utah.
"Arturo goes to a lot of protests, most of the protests," Keele said. "From the videos I’ve seen, it looks like he was a young kid who went to a protest open-carrying, which he has done before.
"He understands weapons. He knows how to handle them... The gun was pointed at the ground, from all the videos I’ve seen."
Right to Carry State
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He was married with two young children.
Keele said Gamboa has armed himself at other rallies as well, which he argues that while the sight may make others nervous, that is his legal right in the state.
"Everyone’s scared when people open-carry," Keel explained. "It’s not a super comfortable thing. But it’s not illegal and it’s not wrong, and I’m not one to condemn it."
The friend went on to say that when similar protest organizers asked attendees to leave their guns at home, Gamboa has always followed the rules and recommendations.
"He's someone I'm really proud to be friends with," Keele said. "He’s always trying to do the right thing. He would never go into a crowd of people with harm or ill intent."
