Narrative Statement 2, Western United States Event, 2023

UN CLASSIFIED
OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY OF WAR
5000 DEFENSE PENTAGON
WASH INGTON , DC 20301-5000
INTELLIGENCE
AND SECURITY
02 June 2026
MEMORANDUM FOR RECORD
SUBJECT: Nairntive from Witness 2 - Western U.S. Event
References: (a) https://www.war.gov/ufo/#Western-US-Event,VIRIN: 260508-D-D0360-1 052,
08-MAY 2026.
1. Executive Sumrna1y .
This memorandum presents the first-hand naiTative from Witness 2 provided to the All
domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO). Witness 2 was one of several United States (U.S.)
federal law enforcement special agents who reported observing unidentified anomalous
phenomena (UAP) over a period of two days in October 2023 in the western United States.
2. Witness Na1rntive.
ill response to AARO 's request to provide a free-fo1m naiTative of the sequence of events
exactly as they remember them, Witness 2 submitted the following text:
"illcident 1
ill October 2023, my paitner and I were tasked to survey an area for individuals launching
drones. My paitner and I were positioned in a valley, with mountain ranges to the west and east
and more distant ranges to the north; we had teams positioned throughout the ai·ea as well. The
weather was clear; we sat [and] watched the sunset as dusk trnnsitioned into darkness. At
approximately 1900 hours, I obse1ved a bright circulai· orb-like light approximately 35-45
degrees above the n01thern/no1theastern horizon. Originally, the light was not dissimilar to that
of a luminescent planet obse1ved in the night sky but grew slowly brighter. The bright orb-like
light had a smaller red orb-like light within it. As the bright orb-like light grew lai·ger, it
expelled three or four red lights from it. The red lights accelerated instantly and maneuvered
with perfect, smooth coordination into a horizontal fonnation. The red lights were
approximately 1/15 the size of the orb-like light. The bright orb-like light did not appear to be an
aitificial neon glow, but rather a bright natural light with a slight halo effect. The red lights were
less luminescent and appeai·ed to be more like artificial lights (e.g., taillights). Following the
expulsion of the smaller red lights, the bright orb-like light dimmed and faded from sight. From
approximately 1900 hours to approximately 1930 hours, I witnessed the process repeat
approximately five times across the n01thern, northeastern, and eastern horizon. Our teams
confnmed they obse1ved the same objects. The last grouping of red lights moved in a horizonal
pattern to the southern horizon where they remained the rest of the evening. The three red lights
were all aligned and remained equally spaced. From approximately 1930 hours until
approximately 2300 hours, the red lights hovered above the southern horizon. The red lights
sometime dipped below the horizon, out of sight but consistently rose back up. At
1
UNCLASSIFIED