A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
Protests against President Trump and his policies drew more than 5 million people across the U.S. on Saturday. That's according to organizers of the No Kings march - marches that were held in thousands of cities and small towns on the same day that Trump hosted a military parade in the nation's capital. NPR's Brian Mann reports on the protests.
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BRIAN MANN, BYLINE: In tiny Vergennes, Vermont, 17-year-old Phoebe Raphael (ph) joined the crowd on Main St saying she fears the U.S. is drifting toward authoritarianism.
PHOEBE RAPHAEL: The president, today, is holding a parade for his birthday, and that just doesn't feel very American or Democratic, and I don't agree with it at all.
MANN: Organizers of the No Kings rallies nationwide said in a statement turnout exceeded expectations. They also said they were heartbroken and devastated by a shooting at a march in Salt Lake City on Saturday that left one marcher dead. At a press conference Sunday, Salt Lake City police chief Brian Redd said the man killed, a local fashion designer later identified as Arthur Afa Ah Loo (ph) was an innocent bystander.
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BRIAN REDD: No one should fear coming to a demonstration - a peaceful and lawful demonstration in our city.
MANN: Police are still investigating the incident, but Redd said they believe the shooting began when civilian peacekeepers patrolling the rally saw a man named Arturo Gamboa allegedly threaten people with an AR-15-style rifle.
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REDD: One of the individuals fired three rounds, striking Gamboa and tragically striking the man who later died.
MANN: After being wounded, Gamboa was arrested and charged with murder. His motives remain unclear. The man who fired the shots, apparently trying to defend the crowd, has not been arrested or publicly identified. Police say he's cooperating with their investigation. Authorities are also investigating two apparent vehicular attacks on No Kings protesters in California and Virginia. While anti-Trump rallies were taking place nationwide, the president and administration officials gathered in Washington, D.C., for a military parade on Trump's birthday, celebrating the Army's 250th anniversary. Organizers say the event drew roughly 200,000 people. In his speech, Trump pushed back against criticism of the event.
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PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Every other country celebrates their victories. It's about time America did, too. That's what we're doing tonight.
MANN: During the ceremony, Trump was presented with a traditionally folded American flag - an honor usually reserved for family members of fallen soldiers. Brian Mann, NPR News.
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