Arthur “Afa” Ah Loo, pictured with Rep. Verona Mauga. Ah Loo died at Salt Lake City “No Kings” protest. (Courtesy)
Those familiar with Arthur “Afa” Ah Loo’s fashion work can quickly identify cohesive characteristics in his pieces — they are freeflowing, comfortable and fitting for every size. Ah Loo himself shared a lot of his gowns’ nature, his friends say, as a soft spoken, yet strong presence in his family and the Utah Pacific Islander community.
His friends and family haven’t recovered from the shock of hearing that self-described peacekeepers at the Salt Lake City “No Kings” rally shot three rounds at an armed man at the protest, unintentionally killing Ah Loo. Some still use present tense when speaking about him, and many of them wish they could wipe away the widespread images of his fatal wounds to substitute them with memories of his life.
Richard Wolfgramm, Ah Loo’s close friend, got to witness many of the moments that built his reputation. He saw Ah Loo’s many late nights in his studio working on a gown, videocalling his two children while his wife Laura put them in bed. There was also constant talk about art and how seriously Ah Loo took his civic duties as a new American citizen.
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“We read about gun violence in this country all the time. It’s just really shocking that it happened to someone that you know and someone that you love, that it happened so fast,” Wolfgramm said.
Wolfgramm also saw Ah Loo saying goodbye to his wife and kids at his studio before taking a Lyft to the protest together on Saturday, their final moments together. As they marched, he heard his friend speak about how this was the third protest he had attended in a week.
Arthur “Afa” Ah Loo, pictured with his wife and two children. Ah Loo died at Salt Lake City “No Kings” protest (Courtesy)
Then, Wolfgramm heard gunshots and screams just steps away on State Street that sent him running.
They were separated, Wolfgramm didn’t see what happened, but realized something was wrong after Ah Loo didn’t answer multiple calls. It was afterwards, when looking at a video he had been recording when the shots were fired, that he saw images of his friend laying on the ground.
“I was horrified, because that’s the last image I saw of him,” he said. “Was him laying in the street with a bullet hole to his head.”
The shooting happened just before 8 p.m. At about 3:30 a.m. in the hospital he and a group of family and friends were told that Ah Loo hadn’t survived.
“We all just left in a state of shock,” Wolfgramm said on Monday. “You know, I’m just really getting over my shock right now.”
‘A loving soul’
Ah Loo’s name is recognized internationally, whether for being the first Samoan to be featured in “Project Runway,” or for dressing many in his distinct flowy pieces — including red-carpet looks of “Moana 2” stars. He was born and raised in Samoa and moved to the U.S. after making a name for himself in the fashion industry.
But, many in Utah also know him for being an involved member of the community, finding ways to empower the next generation of Pacific Islander artists. Ah Loo co-founded the nonprofit Creative Pacific with his friend Benjamin Powell, an organization that promotes culture, creativity and innovation, especially among Pacific Islander communities.
While Ah Loo had a specific style for his pieces — and a signature hat look for himself — he was also open to designing any type of wardrobe, Powell said. He served on boards and mentored people on their design efforts.
“Afa was a loving soul, very giving of his time, very giving of his service and the work that he did,” Powell said, “and just an all-around, really, just genuinely, a good soul.”
Ah Loo may have had a very public-facing career, but he wasn’t one to speak in front of crowds. According to Powell, he was more of a “quiet mover and shaker.”
“He wasn’t a loud person. His work really would speak for itself, which I think, is what set him apart in many ways,” Powell said. “Because his quiet ways of doing things were still very effective and impactful with people that he came across.”
Portrait of Arthur “Afa” Ah Loo. Ah Loo died at Salt Lake City “No Kings” protest (Courtesy)
Taylorsville Democratic Rep. Verona Mauga, who is also Samoan, also remembers Ah Loo with fondness after knowing him for over 10 years. She describes him as someone who could create anything from scratch.
“He was able to connect people and reach people in ways that other people just weren’t able to do,” she said about Ah Loo. “It was a gift of his to gather and to connect people.”
Before the shooting, the rally protesting President Donald Trump’s second-term policies was peaceful and beautiful, Mauga said. “It was great until it wasn’t.”
“It’s very sad and unfortunate that Afa passed away violently when he was someone who stood up for others and cared about equity and equality and people being treated fairly,” Mauga said. “(He) also often said things like, it’s important to stand on the right side of history. And I know that’s why he was marching.”
After the assassination of Minnesota lawmakers Saturday and the shooting at West Valley City’s WestFest carnival that ended in three deaths, Mauga says there needs to be an important conversation about public safety.
“This is a conversation that needs to happen with community and with government,” she said. “Too much has happened this weekend, and we need to re-evaluate things and see what we need to do to make Utah safer.”
‘Sick to my stomach’
Thinking about all of those details that made Ah Loo the person his community loved, and then the situation in which he died, angers Wolfgramm.
“I am so sick to my stomach (with) the revelation that’s just coming out right now,” Wolfgramm said, referring to a peacekeeper shooting his handgun after seeing Arturo Gamboa holding an AR-15 style rifle at the protest.
Wolfgramm is conflicted, however, because he doesn’t know what he would have done as a peacekeeper in their situation. Utah is an open carry state, but Gamboa’s intentions for having a rifle during the protest are unclear. Still, he wishes the event peacekeepers had left trained law enforcement to deal with the situation.
“When I look at their actions, I see the actions of amateurs, and I see panic,” Wolfgramm said. “And I don’t know what I would have done in that situation, but my brothers in law enforcement, they are people that are trained specifically for things like this.”
Like many, Wolfgramm met Ah Loo through his art, and then formed a friendship that lasted over 10 years with their shared Pacific Islander heritage and interests. He found in Ah Loo a warm, kind, talented and generous friend, but also someone who was fun to hang out with.
“People don’t know this about him, but Afa has a beautiful singing voice, and we go to karaoke a lot. I think people are often surprised when he’s up there singing,” he said.
Wolfgramm also remembers Ah Loo as a devoted father and husband, present even when his job obligations kept him out of his house.
“When we went to the rally, I drove and parked my car at the studio, and we took a Lyft over to Pioneer Park. When I got over there, his wife and his two kids were there. They were leaving the studio. We were all saying our goodbyes and hugging outside. And then they left, and we waited for the Lyft,” Wolfgramm said. “Those were his final moments with his family.”