this post was submitted on 18 Jun 2025
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A self-described "peacekeeper" shot three times at Gamboa. At least one of the bullets hit Gamboa in the side. Another bullet accidentally hit and killed a 39-year-old protester.

So some rookie sees a guy peacefully walking around with an AR-15 and starts blasting? Open carry is stupid, carrying an AR-15 alone at a protest is stupid. But it's still the dude's right. Maybe the "peacekeeper" was an off duty HiGhlY TraINeD cop.

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[–] [email protected] 67 points 5 days ago (2 children)

Why is it we get to know this guy’s name, but not the “self described peacekeeper”s name who actually shot two people and killed one?

[–] [email protected] 29 points 5 days ago

Because this guy and a lot of his friends and family are openly talking to the media and giving their names out...

The person who panic shot two people killing one, probably isn't as eager to get his name and face on tv

[–] [email protected] 7 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Press liability most likely. They don't want to fuck it up and have people accidentally haranguing the wrong person before they confirm facts & misinformation.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 5 days ago (2 children)

Funny as that might be exactly what is happening.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 days ago

They've named a 50501 volunteer, but not any specific one so far as I've seen.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (1 children)

From a legal standpoint, I think the difference is that one is under suspicion in jail and the other isn't. They are just relaying information given by the police I think.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Arturo Gamboa, 24, remains at the Salt Lake County Jail, booked on suspicion of murder.

He has not been formally charged by prosecutors with the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office.

Two peacekeepers were also "taken into custody" but have not been charged.

They’ve all been booked and none have been charged so the “difference” is media spin alone.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Ya, I'm clearly mistaken. I'm guessing its like the other user said, Arturo and his family and willingly talking to the press.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 days ago

It’s all been very confusingly reported so totally understandable

[–] [email protected] 29 points 5 days ago (4 children)

From the article:

"Arturo goes to a lot of protests — most of the protests," Keele said. "From the videos I’ve seen, it looks like he was a young kid that went to a protest open-carrying, which he has done before. He understands weapons. He knows how to handle them... The gun was pointed at the ground, from all the videos I’ve seen."

"Everyone’s scared when people open-carry. It’s not a super comfortable thing, but it’s not illegal and it’s not wrong, and I’m not one to condemn it," Keele said. "There have been protests where people have asked [protesters] not to do that, and he didn’t do it."

This is going to be a difficult thing for the traditional leftist protest community to grapple with, but effectively, the first amendment backed up by the second amendment is quite literally the last backstop we have against fascism in this country. As uncomfortable as you might consider it to be, we have enshrined in our constitution the rights and tools to resist what is currently happening.

If you read the article instead of knee jerking to the headline, its clear that Gamboa did nothing wrong here, and look at how Fox is framing the discussion:

A self-described "peacekeeper" shot three times at Gamboa. At least one of the bullets hit Gamboa in the side. Another bullet accidentally hit and killed a 39-year-old protester.

and then they simply accept the premise that they set up, about the people who actually shot and killed people being "peacekeepers"

Two peacekeepers were also "taken into custody" but have not been charged.

Pay attention to what is happening with this rhetoric. Bets that we find out these "peacekeepers" were actually counter-protestors? The author is setting up the conditions to validate the people actually being violent in this story.

Look, we're beyond the rubicon. Things aren't like they used to be; you may have to become comfortable with things you weren't previously comfortable with. It was Gamboa's right to open carry at the event. Right wing nut-jobs being allowed to shoot people indiscriminately because they think they are the only ones with constitutional rights is what this article is setting up for. Be cautious about dismissing Gamboa and the rhetoric the article is using.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 5 days ago

Two peacekeepers were also "taken into custody" but have not been charged.

Pay attention to what is happening with this rhetoric

Arturo has not been charged either.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 5 days ago

Thank you for the rational explanation. I feel like I am going crazy seeing the knee-jerk responses.

[–] lurch 2 points 4 days ago

yeah, fox is basically saying "it's okay if our fascist buddies shoot people." just like last time with Rittenhouse, they cry a bit on tv and then it somehow magically becomes self-defense and they become right wing heroes celebrated by 4chan nazis. i hope it doesn't roll this time, but right wingers have an even tighter grip on the judicial system this time

[–] [email protected] -3 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

My two cents on the matter is that, yes he had every right to open carry at that protest, but just like that one weirdo who open carried an AR at the Georgia(?) airport years ago, it’s a shitty thing to do. Granted, that guy never caused a shooting, but it’s the same to me. This country has a gun fetish, it’s that simple. Actually repealing the 2a is a non-starter and instead we need to focus on just how gross it is culturally.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 5 days ago

"Murder suspect" that everyone knows didn't shoot anyone.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (2 children)

Guarantee that “peacekeeper” was some trigger happy militia fuck that the police invited. That fucker should be charged with murder too.

[–] clay_pidgin 9 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (2 children)

Supposedly they were an "official" peacekeeper from 50501, and 50501 initially posted a thank you but removed it. It sounds from my limited reading like the ~~dead guy~~ subject of this article was a good dude who made some bad choices that made him look super suspicious.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 5 days ago (1 children)

FYI, the only dead guy in this entire situation was a bystander; neither the shooter nor the guy who is the subject of this article, who got hit but is still alive.

[–] clay_pidgin 3 points 5 days ago

Sorry, you're quite correct. I mis"spoke".

[–] [email protected] 10 points 5 days ago (1 children)

a statement issued Monday afternoon, the Salt Lake City Police Department said it’s investigating the involvement of the “peacekeepers,” as well as other aspects of the protest’s organization and staffing. “At this time, it remains unclear whether these individuals were hired by or volunteered for the event organizers, or acted on their own initiative,” Salt Lake City Police spokesperson Brent Weisberg said.

I don't think there are official security from 50501. It sounds like they just put up a post telling people who wanted to volunteer to dress in hivis. However they specified that no one should be armed and not to confront armed protestors.

Also your research must not be very fleshed out if you didn't know the "dead guy" was just an innocent bystander who was killed when a vigilante open fired on a target in front of a crowd.

[–] clay_pidgin 3 points 5 days ago

Yeah, I misspoke. I was talking about the subject of the article, not the dead bystander.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 5 days ago

The only justice in a corrupt country is vigilante justice.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 5 days ago (2 children)

"and to our non-negotiable prohibition of firearms policy for anyone representing 50501 at any of our actions or events... it is clear we do not have a complete understanding of what happened yet. what is certain is that, if no guns were present at the protest, this tragedy would have been prevented altogether." -50-50-1

So which is it, a complete absence of firearms at their events, or do their Peacekeeper volunteers have firearms and conceal carry permits?

[–] [email protected] 11 points 5 days ago (1 children)

50501 says no guns, but obviously can't prevent people from bringing them.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 5 days ago (1 children)

I'm not 100% up to speed on their history, but their own material states optional engagement with armed individuals as a part of Peacekeeper duties. Have they already disarmed someone, and did they manage to do it with their bare hands?

[–] [email protected] 7 points 5 days ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 days ago

Holy shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit that was tense. First time I've heard anyone at a demo, either IRL or on video thank a cop. Thanks for the YT link.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Every event I've volunteered for run by an ngo has been a shit show without any leadership or chain of command. I bet they just posted asking for people to wear hivis if they want to help and then vetted no one. Their response seems typical of any ngo, who usually have like 3 panicked full time employees that run around like chicken with their heads cut off.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 days ago

You know what, that's fair. the COC gets a bit loosey-goosey with the volunteer gigs.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 5 days ago

carrying an AR-15 alone at a protest is stupid.

It's undeniable that police are less likely to instigate violence when some protesters are carrying rifles. And even if you say we're not at the point it's smart yet, things keep escalating and the time will come.

That being said, all black is a poor choice, so is bringing your rifle case backpack and taking it out and putting it away.

Running with it out is a very very stupid thing.

But so is just fucking shooting someone because they get a rifle out.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 5 days ago

White guy with a gun, second amendment rights stand.

Brown guy with a gun, shot at and arrested without a question.