Witness 3 Narrative: The Western U.S. Event, October 2023

Source file: DoW-UAP-D081_Narrative-3_Western-US-Event.pdf Originating agency: Office of the Under Secretary of War for Intelligence and Security — All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) Document type: Memorandum for Record — first-hand witness narrative Signatory: Jon T. Kosloski, Director, AARO Date: 02 June 2026 (incident October 2023) Classification: UNCLASSIFIED Page count: 2 (all read) VIRIN: 260508-D-D0360-1063 PURSUE Release: 3

Summary

Witness 3, a federal law enforcement special agent, provides a first-hand account of two occurrences in mid-October 2023. In the first, a large orange orb "alternating between clear and orange" moved across the sky and, at about 45 degrees elevation, "expelled three smaller red orbs" in what "appeared to be mechanical" — a release the witness memorably likened to "grapes being expelled from a basketball." In the second, four red lights crossed the sky and "hovered in what appeared to be a square over each corner of an airfield," while a vehicle below flashed its headlights at a "slow, methodical tempo." When the agents drove toward the vehicle with lights off, "it seemed like the vehicle was responding to our approach," keeping its distance before it "seemingly floated off the road to the south, across rough terrain" — and a later search "didn't find anything" in the way of tire tracks. The narrative is signed by AARO Director Jon T. Kosloski.

Research Article

The orange orb and the red orbs

At roughly 1900, "looking east," Witness 3 saw "a large orange orb in the sky seemingly coming in my direction," prompting the partner to ask, "are you seeing this?" The orb "was alternating between clear and orange," and when clear it did not vanish — the witness "vaguely recall[ed] still being able to see an outline of the orb although it was clear." At about 45 degrees, "it expelled three smaller red orbs. The expulsion appeared to be mechanical." The red orbs "moved to the south in a straight line spaced about one second apart." There was no sound and "no exhaust trails." To convey scale: "I'd say the red orbs were like grapes being expelled from a basketball."

The airfield and the evasive vehicle

On a second night, using night vision goggles, Witness 3 saw "red lights coming from the north" that "stopped above an airfield and hovered in what appeared to be a square over each corner of the airfield," while one or two orange orbs hovered near a ridgeline. A vehicle below "was flashing its headlights at a slow, methodical tempo." The agents drove down toward it with lights off: "I recall my heart beating heavily as we approached it." But "it seemed like we could get no closer than what seemed to be about 100 yards away, so it seemed like the vehicle was responding to our approach." Finally, "the vehicle then seemingly floated off the road to the south, across rough terrain. There were no roads and later we searched for tire tracks but didn't find anything." When the vehicle was gone, "so were the orbs."

Significance

Witness 3 independently confirms the two defining behaviors of the event — the mechanical "expulsion" of red orbs from a larger orange orb, and a ground-level "vehicle" that behaved impossibly, keeping its distance and floating off-road without leaving tracks. The account is sober and self-aware, with vivid, concrete imagery ("grapes being expelled from a basketball") and an honest admission of fear ("my heart beating heavily"). The detail that the agents physically searched for tire tracks afterward and found none is the kind of corroborating ground-truth attempt that distinguishes these law-enforcement narratives from casual sightings, and it directly supports AARO's finding (DOW-UAP-D077) that the reported behaviors are "inconsistent" with conventional vehicles or aircraft.

Key People

Locations

Incidents

Notable Quotes

"When the orb was at approximately 45 degrees... it expelled three smaller red orbs. The expulsion appeared to be mechanical." — page 1

"I'd say the red orbs were like grapes being expelled from a basketball." — page 1

"It seemed like we could get no closer than what seemed to be about 100 yards away so it seemed like the vehicle was responding to our approach." — page 2

"The vehicle then seemingly floated off the road to the south, across rough terrain. There were no roads and later we searched for tire tracks but didn't find anything." — page 2