Charlie Kirk's head of security has finally addressed the mysterious hand gestures his team were seen making moments before the conservative activist was fatally shot.
As previously reported, Kirk, 31, was killed on September 10 while speaking to a crowd at an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.
While he was answering a question posed by a member of the crowd, a single shot rang out and hit Kirk in the neck, fatally wounding him.
Kirk instantly slumped over after being hit, as his team frantically rushed him to hospital for medical assistance, but his life could not be saved.
After the chilling footage circulated on social media, attention honed in on hand movements made by the security team standing near to Kirk just moments before he was killed.
One conspiracy theory that abounded was that the team may have had foreknowledge of the shooting after two guards were seen adjusting their shirt sleeves or making motions with their hands.
Brian Harpole, who was leading the security team on the day, has categorically shut down that rumor, explaining on Shawn Ryan Show podcast on Monday (November 17): "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."
He explained that if hand signals were ever to be used in the course of duty, they would never be "normal" movements that could be easily confused or overlooked.
Harpole confirmed: "[We'd use signals that] can't be confused with a man scratching his a**."
He added that if a member of the team was to try and make a hand signal to another, they would instantly look to Harpole to instruct them on what to do next, which did not happen on the day.
"It's not good communication," he said, but admitted even he was confused to see the conspiracy theories circulating after one member of the team "adjusted his hat".
He explained: "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.
"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."
Harpole also addressed the theories surrounding Kirk's widow, Erika, with some even going as far as to baselessly speculate whether she was involved or had knowledge of the assassination ahead of time.
He added: "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."
Following the shooting, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson was arrested and charged with aggravated murder, as well as six other charges, including obstruction of justice and witness tampering.
He is set to make his first in-person appearance in court in January.