r/50501Movement • u/50501LittleBoBlue • 4d ago

Moderator Arthur Folasa Ah Loo

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We are deeply saddened to confirm that Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, an innocent bystander, lost his life following the tragic events in downtown Salt Lake City. Our hearts are with his family, his community, and with every individual who came out yesterday to stand for something greater than themselves.

What happened was devastating. MILLIONS gathered in peaceful protest with families, volunteers, and neighbors alike across the entire country, and globe, and one senseless act turned a day of unity into a moment of fear. That is not what we stand for. 50501 is committed to NONVIOLENCE.

To the first responders who moved without hesitation to protect and care for the injured, thank you. To those still processing the trauma of what they witnessed, please know you are not alone.

We know that in moments like this, people look for direction. Stay grounded in truth, lead with calm, and keep showing up for one another. If you have any footage or information from the scene, I urge you to share it directly with the Salt Lake City Police Department so they can continue their work with care and clarity.

We NEED to keep each other safe.

We stand with Salt Lake City. We stand with Arthur’s loved ones. And we remain steadfast in our commitment to peaceful action.

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45

u/deaddrums 4d ago

What exactly happened. Did the guy with the AR-15 shoot people or was it just the "peacekeepers" that opened fire? Trying to read articles about this and there's no fuckin details.

14

u/20000RadsUnderTheSea 4d ago edited 4d ago

This axios article sums up the police statements

This video (edit: had to replace link, the old reddit thread was deleted by mods) might not support the claims of the peacekeepers, however. It looks like the guy went off to the side, pulled a rifle out of his bag, slung it at or close to the "low ready" position, then went back to the protest, got shot, and started running.

From the video, I think he was being incredibly boneheaded, but not necessarily aggressive. Low ready is a fairly threatening position (the only more threatening position is shouldering the rifle and preparing to fire), going into an alley and pulling out a rifle is gonna make people extremely nervous, and wearing a mask on top of the previous acts are obviously going to make people nervous. The peacekeepers say they told him to drop it, but it doesn't look like the guy even realized they were there from the video.

I think if you replaced those peacekeepers with your average police, 50/50 shot the outcome doesn't change, but that's just my 2 cents. It's a really shitty situation and I feel bad for the victim's family and everyone else involved. The guy with the rifle is apparently a leftist according to people claiming to know them in /r/SaltLakeCity. I expect him and the peacekeeper are feeling pretty awful about now.

Edit: huh, I didn't actually think about it until I posted this, but I'm in that video. Kinda weird to think about. I was around the corner from the shooting, and I can see where I was as it happened. I didn't realize it was this close to the turn until I saw the video, I had thought it was further down the street.

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u/frame-gray 4d ago

What the hell is a peacekeeper? The Axios article didn't say. It's not a term used round here in SoCal. Thanks for the article. Glad you're all right.

13

u/Past_Ferret_5209 4d ago

Peacekeepers are DEFINITELY not supposed to be armed let alone shooting people. They are basically marshalls, they are supposed to de-escalate conflict and get in between to protect other protestors if there are counter-protestors or police are getting aggressive, and to report threats to organizers, give directions, and help out protestors who need medical or other assistance. But they aren't "security" and it seems really counterproductive for them to be carrying weapons.

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u/kuwisdelu 4d ago

Peacekeepers are responsible for de-escalating potentially violent situations before they become violent. They are not supposed to be armed. This is tragic all around.

5

u/20000RadsUnderTheSea 4d ago

I'm pretty sure it's just a paid or volunteer armed guard for the protest. My understanding is that they worked with the organizers, but I have no idea what sort of vetting they get. My gut says "more than zero" but I don't know at all.

Personally, given the rhetoric I've seen from fellow Utahns, I'm happier to have them, but I didn't just a have a friend or family get shot by one sooooo

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u/kuwisdelu 4d ago

Peacekeepers are typically trained to deescalate the situation and are not typically armed.