Featured Image Credit: Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune/Getty Images
Topics: Charlie Kirk, News, US News, Crime, Podcasts
Madison Burgess
Topics: Charlie Kirk, News, US News, Crime, Podcasts
Charlie Kirk's head of security has spoken up about the confusing hand gestures his team made moments before the conservative activist was assassinated.
The Turning Point USA founder was fatally shot aged 31 during a debate event at Utah Valley University on 10 September.
He was in the middle of answering a question when a bullet was fired from the roof of a nearby building, going through his neck and killing him.
Tyler Robinson, 22, has since been charged with aggravated murder, as well as six other charges, including obstruction of justice and witness tampering and will make his first in-person court appearance in January.
Advert
Immediately after the assassination took place, graphic footage of the moment began circulating on social media, showing Kirk being shot and the moments before and after as the crowd began to run away in fear.
In the days following the shooting, people took it upon themselves to analyse every detail from the fragments of footage which were popping up, leading to some persistent conspiracy theories.
One of which was the theory that his team had foreknowledge of the shooting as two security guards appeared to awkwardly adjust themselves just moments before the killing happened.
Some social media users jumped to the conclusion that them lifting their shirt sleeves or moving their hats was some kind of hand signal.
However, that theory has been completely shut down by Brian Harpole, who was leading the security team that day in September.
Speaking on the Shawn Ryan Show podcast on Monday (17 November), he gave an account of what happened before, during, and after the tragic event, as well as squashing the conspiracy theory.
He confirmed that no hang signals were used at all, telling the host: "If we needed to relay a message, then we'd [say it] on comms... if we notice something, we're not gonna use a hand signal."
Harpole explained that if they were to ever use signals of this kind, it would be never be 'normal' gestures that could be mistaken for everyday movements as it would be too easy to cause confusion.
The security expert added: "[We'd use signals that] can't be confused with a man scratching his a**."
He explained that if any team member was trying to make a hand signal to the other guards, they would instantly look at Harpole to be instructed on what to do next, which never happened that day.
"It's not good communication," he said, before admitting he was confused when he saw the theories popping up, simply because a member of the team 'adjusted his hat'.
Harpole said: "It's like, OK, substantiate. So he touched his hat. There were a line of people in the front and other people that did all kinda things, everybody's subject to that."
He added: "I get it, I'm not a conspiracy theory guy, but I do believe that there are things out here bigger than you and I that are in operation."
But, he was left particularly bewildered by the conspiracies targeting Kirk's widow, Erika, with some people randomly claiming she's responsible with no evidence whatsoever.
Harpole said: "She's a victim, that's her husband. And now people without any proof are saying she was a part in killing him. That's what makes me lose faith in people, and that we allow it, and that platforms allow it."