Afa Ah Loo was a father, a celebrated fashion designer, and a peaceful presence at the “No Kings” protest in Salt Lake City. On June 14, he was killed—not by the armed man causing panic—but by a self-declared “peacekeeper” who opened fire into a crowd.

Yes, there was a threat. A man reportedly pulled out a rifle and ran toward demonstrators. But trained professionals know how to respond under pressure without endangering the very people they’re meant to protect. Afa was an innocent bystander, and he died because an untrained civilian with a gun decided to take matters into their own hands.

The “peacekeepers” were not law enforcement. They were armed civilians—volunteers operating without oversight, accountability, or the training necessary to handle a crisis. One bullet struck the suspect. Another killed Afa.

This cannot become the new normal. If our communities are to remain safe places for free expression, we must ensure that the people protecting us are qualified to do so.

We demand an immediate ban on the use of armed, non-law-enforcement “peacekeepers” at public demonstrations in Utah. No more chaos disguised as safety. No more families torn apart by reckless, preventable violence.

Tell Salt Lake City and Utah officials: disarm the “peacekeepers” before another innocent life is lost.