A Murray man accused of killing a bystander at a Salt Lake City No Kings protest in 2025 has been ordered to stand trial for manslaughter, a second-degree felony. Third District Judge Derek Williams made the ruling at the conclusion of a preliminary hearing on Tuesday, according to Keith Chalmers, spokesperson for the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors allege that Matthew Scott Alder, 43, of Murray, was aiming at a man carrying a rifle when he mistakenly shot Arthur “Afa” Ah Loo at the demonstration last year. They claim Alder committed a crime with one "reckless" gunshot that struck Ah Loo, out of three total shots Alder fired. Alder is accused of firing toward a crowd.
Alder’s defense lawyer, Neal Hamilton, argued in court on Tuesday that his client did not act recklessly, KSL.com reported. Hamilton entered a plea of not guilty on Alder’s behalf. Hamilton did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday evening.
The judge’s decision comes just ahead of a new round of No Kings protests scheduled for Saturday across the country, including multiple events in Utah. These protests are planned in opposition to President Donald Trump’s policies and aim to rally voters ahead of the midterm elections.
Arthur "Afa" Ah Loo, a 39-year-old father of two, was marching with fellow demonstrators on State Street and taking video when he was shot. Ah Loo, of Salt Lake City, was also a fashion designer and the first Samoan contestant on TV’s “Project Runway.”
Alder told investigators he believed he saw a man "ducked down as he was loading his rifle" and thought the individual was about to commit a mass shooting, charging documents state. He is accused of firing at this man, toward a crowd.
Salt Lake City police initially arrested the man with the rifle for investigation of murder, stating the volunteer saw him manipulating his gun. This man was also shot and wounded but was later released and has not been charged with any crime. Utah law allows for openly carrying a firearm, including at crowded events like protests.
In response to a pending lawsuit filed by Ah Loo’s widow, Laura Ah Loo, and other family members, attorneys for Alder have argued in a court filing that the demonstrator seen carrying a rifle is to blame for the incident. Laura Ah Loo has called for ‘responsible gun laws’ one year after her husband’s death.
Ah Loo’s death and the events surrounding it brought renewed attention to Utah’s permissive gun laws. The incident also raised questions about who is responsible when a bystander is killed at a public event. Measures brought by Democrats to clarify that responsibility and restrict guns at protests failed in the overwhelmingly Republican state Legislature this year.
Organizers of the 2025 march have also faced scrutiny regarding their use of armed volunteers at the event. This scrutiny led the national 50501 organization to cut ties with the protest organizers. Additionally, questions have been raised about the information provided by organizers in their event permit application to Salt Lake City.
Alder is scheduled to return to court for a pretrial conference on Dec. 11.
