- Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, a Samoan fashion designer, was fatally shot at a protest Saturday.
- Ah Loo, known for his work on 'Project Runway,' was an innocent bystander.
- His community mourns his loss, highlighting his contributions and advocacy for equality.
SALT LAKE CITY — Police said Utah resident Arthur Folasa Ah Loo died after he was shot during the "No Kings" demonstration downtown Saturday night.
Chief Brian Redd said 39-year-old Ah Loo, who went by the name Afa, appeared to be an innocent bystander participating in the march.
He had a wife and two young children.
Utah State Rep. Verona Mauga, D-Salt Lake County, said Afa Ah Loo was well-known within the Pacific Islander community for breaking into the fashion world.
"Afa is a Samoan fashion designer, the first Samoan to make it on 'Project Runway,'" she said. "And that was a big deal, to have someone of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander heritage be able to break into the fashion industry, and he's done amazing work for fabulous people. "
She was with Ah Loo at the "No Kings" rally at Pioneer Park earlier in the night, before protesters marched through downtown.
"Afa is a person who believed in equity and equality for all people and all communities. He believed that everyone was deserving of basic human rights," Mauga said. "And that's why he was there. He was with his community and he was with people he cared about, marching and rallying for all of those things that make our community, like, really great."
She said she wasn't with him when the shooting happened. Mauga said she was walking with other elected officials, and Ah Loo was with a group of friends when the shots were fired, and people took off running.
"When they didn't hear back from Afa, that's when everyone realized something wrong may have happened," she said.
Ah Loo was from Samoa and recently became an American citizen.
"Afa just recently voted in his first election, in 2024," Mauga said. "He was so excited and proud to do that. Afa wanted to be very much a part of what America is and a part of the American dream."
He competed on Project Runway, but Mauga says he was always willing to make clothes for the people in his life.
"If he knew that I was going to a gala or a ball, he would call me up and say, 'hey, come to my studio,' and take my measurements and design me a gown," she recalled.
He also led workshops, teaching people how to sew. Ah Loo co-founded the Creative Pacific Foundation.
"He brought joy and laughter to the community, and he shared his art and his talents so freely with people," Mauga said.
Related:
'Innocent bystander' shot, killed by member of 'peacekeeping' group at Salt Lake rally
Utah resident Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, 39, died Saturday after he was shot during a large "No Kings" protest in downtown Salt Lake City.Mauga emotionally recalled one of her last memories with Ah Loo made at Utah Pride last week.
"When he found out that I was going to walk with him, he and another, the other founder of Creative Pacific went and got a convertible for me to sit in," she said. "I told them, no, I will not sit in a car and wave like I'm in a beauty pageant. But because of the respect and honor he had for my position in government, and I think just for our friendship, he would not let me walk. But that's just a story that shares who Afa was."
Ah Loo's family created a GoFundMe* to handle funeral expenses.
*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
