Arthur Folasa Ah Loo’s unexpected death has left many in shock, as the former Project Runway contestant died after being shot during a protest in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was attending a “No Kings” demonstration when the violence broke out. Now, fans are concerned about what happened.
Here are more details about Arthur Folasa’s death.
What happened to Project Runway star Arthur Folasa?
Fashion designer and former Project Runway contestant Arthur Folasa Ah Loo’s death occured during a protest in Salt Lake City, Utah. The 39-year-old was unintentionally caught in gunfire during the “No Kings” demonstration held over the weekend. Authorities confirmed that Ah Loo was not the intended victim but a bystander during the violent incident.
The shooting happened when Arturo Gamboa allegedly pulled out an AR-15-style rifle from his backpack and moved towards the crowd. Members of a volunteer peacekeeping group at the event confronted him and ordered him to drop the weapon. Instead, he allegedly raised it and began running toward the protestors.
One of the peacekeepers fired three shots in response, hitting Gamboa and unintentionally striking Ah Loo, who later died at the hospital. Gamboa has been taken into custody and charged with murder, while the peacekeepers involved were also detained for investigation.
Ah Loo rose to prominence after appearing on Season 17 of Project Runway in 2019, where he gained recognition for his design style. In 2018, he was selected to participate in the Commonwealth Fashion Exchange, where his work was displayed at Buckingham Palace.
He recently gained attention for styling actress Auliʻi Cravalho at the 2024 Hawaiian premiere of Moana. He had also designed for the cast members of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City. In addition to his fashion work, Ah Loo co-founded Creative Pacific, a nonprofit organization supporting Pacific Islander artists.
