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An update from OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates
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News — July 3, 2025
OCA Calls for Federal Action Amid Political Violence and Gun Attacks
OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates calls for federal action to address the surge in politically motivated violence and protect the safety of our communities and democratic institutions.
Washington, D.C. — OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates strongly condemns political and gun violence that threatens the safety of our communities and undermines the foundations of our democracy.
We mourn the tragic loss of Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, who were fatally shot in what Governor Tim Walz described as a “politically motivated assassination.” State Senator John Hoffman and his wife were also targeted in the June 14 attack but survived.
On the same day, Arthur Folasa “Afa” Ah Loo was shot and killed while attending a peaceful “No Kings” demonstration in Salt Lake City, Utah. The first Samoan to compete on Project Runway, Afa was a beloved fashion designer and the co-founder of the nonprofit Creative Pacific, which celebrates and uplifts Pacific Islander artists. His death is an immeasurable loss to the Pacific Islander community and all who were touched by his vision and voice.
“We are devastated by the loss of Afa Ah Loo, Representative Melissa Hortman, and her husband Mark,” said Thu Nguyen, Executive Director of OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates. “These tragedies are not isolated—they are a direct assault on our communities, our leaders, and our very right to exist and be heard. Gun violence is a national emergency that is robbing us of voices we cannot afford to lose.”
OCA views these attacks as part of a disturbing trend of targeted, politically charged violence. “We cannot allow political violence to become normalized,” Nguyen added. “It is unacceptable that those who serve the public, or simply gather to demand a more just world, must live in fear for their lives.”
On July 1-2, OCA was part of the 4th Annual Convening of AANHPIs Against Gun Violence in Chicago, IL, where national and local AANHPI groups, alongside gun violence prevention (GVP) organizations, met to continue strategizing and collaborating in the movement to free Americans from fear of death by gun violence. Shortly after the convening, on the night of July 2, Chicago experienced one of the deadliest mass shootings in recent years. OCA sends its condolences to the Chicago community and calls on elected officials to act to protect public safety through common-sense gun reform.
To support Afa’s family, please visit the official fundraiser on GoFundMe ([link removed]) .
Please direct all inquiries to OCA Senior Communications Associate Socheata Sun at
[email protected]. View this press release on our website. ([link removed])
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OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates is a national social justice organization of community advocates dedicated to improving the social, political, and economic well-being of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs). Learn more about our work at ocanational.org/about.
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