The bearded man who seemed to be celebrating in the crowd just after Charlie Kirk was shot insisted he wasn’t cheering the shocking violence; instead, he was shouting “USA” to create a “distraction” that might help “save lives.”

A person identifying as David on X, claiming to be the individual seen in the viral video taken at the Utah Valley University event, released a two-minute statement where he tries to clarify his actions.

“When I heard a sharp crack, at first, I thought it might have been fireworks or a disruptive prank,” the man explains, appearing to wear the same tan-colored backwards cap as the person seemingly celebrating in the video.

“I looked up to the horizon for smoke. When none appeared, I realized it must have been a firearm,” he said in a monotone voice, his eyes seeming to dart back and forth as if reading the statement as he stumbled over some of the words.

He said based on a friend’s reaction he “believed Charlie had been gravely injured,” and “instinctively checked the security team’s movement” before rising to his feet.

Stay up to date on the shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk

“I stood and shouted ‘USA,’ not as a provocation, but to project strength, encourage others, and create a distraction that might help calm panic or even save lives.”

He claims he was only minimally familiar with Kirk’s content, but said he “would never wish to celebrate harm to anyone.”