New Footage of Charlie Kirk’s Shooter Reveals He Didn’t Shoot

October 7, 2025
By: The Signal Dispatch

For the last week, America has been grappling with what many called an “open-and-shut” tragedy: Charlie Kirk, the conservative political firebrand, shot at a private donor event in Utah.

Within hours of the incident, law enforcement named a suspect: Ethan Cole, a 29-year-old former Army reservist, captured in surveillance video fleeing a nearby rooftop minutes after the shooting. A manhunt was launched. A grainy freeze-frame of him with a duffel bag and what appeared to be a scoped weapon became the national image of the tragedy.

But now… everything may be about to change.

Because new footage has just surfaced — and what it appears to show is turning the official narrative completely upside down.

The Footage That Could Flip the Case

The video, reportedly obtained from a drone camera that was part of local media coverage for the event, gives a bird’s-eye view of the surrounding rooftops during the exact moment the shot was fired.

And here’s the kicker: Ethan Cole never pulls the trigger.

Frame by frame, analysts and internet sleuths have broken it down:

The alleged shooter (Cole) is seen on the rooftop, assembling something resembling a rifle.

He takes a prone position. He aims.

But his trigger finger never moves.

Seconds later — a gunshot rings out.

Cole visibly reacts. He flinches. He appears confused.

Then… he runs.

What does this mean? If Ethan Cole was the shooter, why didn’t he fire? If he didn’t fire… who did?

A Setup in Real Time?

The implications are enormous.

One theory gaining traction across social media is that Ethan Cole was a decoy — or worse, a patsy.

“They wanted a shooter. They just didn’t need him to actually shoot,” wrote one Reddit user on the conspiracy forum r/TheSignalFiles.
“All they needed was the image — the silhouette, the gear, the rooftop exit. He was the distraction, not the assassin.”

This aligns with growing speculation that the real shooter was never on the rooftop at all — but may have been much closer to the stage.

Audio Forensics: A Second Clue

Alongside the drone footage, an independent forensics group, EchoTrace Labs, analyzed high-resolution directional audio from multiple phones in the crowd. Their report suggests:

The origin of the gunshot was not elevated, but horizontal — possibly from the treeline behind the stage or even within the event perimeter.

The sound signature is inconsistent with a long-range rifle. It matches more closely with a suppressed short-range weapon — such as an integrally suppressed SMG or pistol carbine.

Most damningly: the drone footage doesn’t show any muzzle flash from Cole’s rooftop position.

Who Actually Shot Charlie Kirk?

If not Ethan Cole, then who?

Let’s review the leading theories emerging online:

1. The Second Shooter Theory

A classic in assassination lore — two shooters, one visible, one hidden. In this case, Cole serves as the visual fall guy while the real killer was in the crowd, trees, or backstage.

2. Inside Job

Some are suggesting the shooter was part of Kirk’s own security team or event staff. With the right access, they could have carried the weapon in, positioned themselves near the stage, and escaped in the chaos. The lack of aggressive security response after the shot — seen in previous leaked footage — only adds fuel.

3. Drone-Delivered Shot

This fringe theory suggests a custom drone with a mounted firearm executed the attack, with the real operator miles away. It sounds crazy… until you remember that several police departments are already experimenting with drone-mounted weapons.

4. The Phantom Theory

Some theorists are taking a darker turn: that this wasn’t just about killing Kirk — it was about confusing the public. By planting evidence, mixing timelines, and misdirecting investigators, the entire crime becomes unsolvable by design.

What About Ethan Cole?

At time of writing, Ethan Cole remains in federal custody, charged with attempted assassination and unlawful possession of a firearm on federal property. His public defender has not responded to the drone footage leak, but anonymous sources say the defense is already preparing a motion to dismiss based on falsified assumptions.

In a jailhouse phone call, leaked online, Cole allegedly told a family member:

“I didn’t shoot anybody. I was told it was just a protest presence. They set me up.”

Media Reaction: Silence or Scramble?

Major outlets have been hesitant to cover the drone footage. CNN, Fox, and MSNBC have only mentioned it in passing, while alternative platforms like Substack newsletters and YouTube investigators are leading the charge.

Independent journalist Mia Langston tweeted:

“We’re watching a narrative collapse in real time. The man they arrested didn’t pull the trigger. So… who did? And why are we still pretending this case is closed?”

Is There a Cover-Up?

If this was a coordinated misdirection — a false flag, as some suggest — then the stakes are bigger than one man.

Why was Kirk targeted?

Who benefits from his removal?

Why create a decoy shooter?

Was this event being monitored or allowed to happen?

There are no easy answers. But there’s one certainty: the truth is not what we were told.

Final Thoughts: The Plot Has Fractured

The story of Charlie Kirk’s shooting was supposed to be simple: a gunman with a motive, a victim on stage, and a tragic act of political violence.

But now — with this new footage contradicting everything we thought we knew — the plot has fractured into something far more complicated.

Maybe Ethan Cole was a misguided extremist. Maybe he was framed.
Maybe Charlie Kirk was shot for political reasons. Maybe for personal ones.
Maybe this wasn’t just an assassination attempt — maybe it was theater.

All we know is that what we’re seeing now… isn’t the truth we were promised.

And if the man accused of pulling the trigger didn’t actually fire…

Then the real shooter is still out there.

Follow us for real-time updates as this story continues to evolve. The truth is a moving target — but we’re still aiming for it.

— The Signal Dispatch