Left-wing activist network 50501 has disavowed its Salt Lake City chapter after a protest “peacekeeper” fatally shot an innocent bystander during an anti-Trump rally. The national group issued a statement over the weekend cutting ties with the local chapter following the deadly June 15 incident.
The shooting occurred during a large “No Kings” protest in downtown Salt Lake City. Arturo Gamboa, a civilian legally open-carrying an AR-15 rifle, was approached by self-designated “peacekeepers” from the Salt Lake 50501 group. One of the peacekeepers claimed Gamboa was in a “firing position,” but video footage released later appeared to contradict that narrative, showing the rifle pointed at the ground.
The peacekeeper fired three rounds, striking Gamboa once. Another bullet fatally wounded bystander Afa Ah Loo, a husband and father. The national 50501 group condemned the actions and stated that firearms are strictly prohibited at their events. “Due to SLC 50501’s disregard for our nonnegotiable values, we are no longer affiliated with them,” the group announced.
Though Gamboa was initially suspected of being the shooter, reports now indicate he remains detained without formal charges while evidence is reviewed by Soros-linked Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill. Gill’s office has come under fire for previous leniency toward violent crime and bias against law enforcement. The shooter—still unnamed—remains under investigation and has not been charged.
50501’s official guidelines for peacekeepers include de-escalation strategies and avoiding confrontation with armed individuals. The Salt Lake chapter, however, defended their peacekeepers online, stating they “ran towards the danger,” and attacked critics as “nasty and accusatory.”
Critics argue the group’s decentralized structure and radical tactics foster lawlessness and have now resulted in the death of an innocent person.
