- Utah's Pacific Islander community urges action after Arthur Folasa Ah Loo's shooting.
- Alyn Toalepai seeks justice, transparency, and policy reform from Utah leaders.
- Sen. Todd Weiler supports a town hall and awaits Salt Lake police investigation results.
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah's Pacific Islander community is calling on state and local leaders to respond to their questions and concerns following Saturday's shooting at the "No Kings" protest.
Alyn Toalepai, president of the Utah Pacific Islander Chamber of Commerce, sent a letter to a number of leaders, including the Salt Lake City Council, state lawmakers and the mayor's office.
The letter was in regards to the fatal shooting of Utah resident Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, 39, who died Saturday after he was shot during the large protest in downtown Salt Lake City. Ah Loo — an "innocent bystander," fashion designer and former "Project Runway" contestant — was shot by a member of a "peacekeeping" group who fired at a gunman who had an AR-15 style rifle and who witnesses say was running toward the crowd.
Organizers of the event said Tuesday the peacekeeper had military training and is a veteran.
"The email's purpose is to seek justice, transparency and accountability for the death of Afa Ah Loo, who's a member of our community and also a member of our Chamber of Commerce," Toaelepai said.
Alyn Toalepai called Ah Loo a colleague and a friend.
"The beauty of Afa is that he was Samoan through and through," he said. "Even as a citizen of the United States, he did his best to bring the culture to the United States, because a lot of times our children are lost in what is in the islands."
In the letter, Toalepai asks for "urgent answers" to a list of questions. He questioned who authorized "armed peacekeepers" at the demonstration; what safety measures were in place for the large-scale protest; what laws are in place regarding "civilians acting in security roles while armed at public events"; how a person with an AR-15 entered the crowd "without immediate detection or intervention"; and whether the city will "provide transparency" in the investigation, including investigating the person who shot and killed Ah Loo.
The email's purpose is to seek justice, transparency and accountability for the death of Afa Ah Loo.
–Alyn Toalepai
He said the Pacific Islander community is grieving deeply. He wrote that he doesn't want Ah Loo's death to be in vain.
"The way he sews his designs is the way he sewed our lives," Toalepai said. "I think it's incumbent upon us that are here to speak on his behalf now, to make sure that we sew the pieces together and bring accountability to what happened."
Toalepai also asks for a review and reform of policy for armed civilians at public events, a public update on the investigation, support for mental health services, especially for youth, and a town hall meeting.
"I would like the answers to a lot of the same questions that he has," said Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross.
He received the letter. He called this incident a tragic, senseless killing.
"I'm open for some type of town hall or a public hearing where these issues can be addressed," he said.
Weiler said he's received his updates on the shooting from media reports. He said most of the investigation and discussions are currently taking place at the city level.
"I'm sure those organizers never envisioned themselves shooting innocent bystanders, but it seems like some very blatant and obvious mistakes were made," he said.
He said he doesn't anticipate huge changes in laws after this shooting.
"It's hard to legislate individual behavior, because we can pass a law in these ivory towers, but some people are going to do what they're going to do," Weiler said. "I think it's very provocative to bring an AR-15 to a crowded demonstration. And it's also very provocative to pull out a gun and shoot at that person. And I don't know what the intent was of the person with the (AR)15."
Weiler said he's waiting for Salt Lake police to finish their investigation. He said he and other lawmakers will have a briefing with Chief Brian Redd on Wednesday.
Toalepai said he wants to ensure this never happens again.
"My letter is not an intent to harm," he said. "It's an intent out of respect for our legislators, for the officers, for the people we entrust to protect us. And that's what I'm looking for. How are you protecting us now?"
