A Colorado officer aimed his phone at a cluster of flashing lights. They were red, blue, and green, and he described them as silent. The lights appear near the center of the video, recorded with the phone’s rear camera.
The oddest part comes as cars approach: the phone adjusts its focus but stays trained on the lights. The video runs for nearly two minutes before the camera tilts down. It offers no explanation for what appears on screen.
Lights and Cars in the Same Frame
The incident took place in Colorado in October 2023. The officer filed a report in January 2024 and included the video. The published information does not say where in Colorado it was filmed.
At the start of the recording, the lights appear in the center of the frame. A car then approaches, and the phone adjusts its focus. This happens automatically: the camera tries to keep the image clear. Even as the focus shifts, it stays trained on the light source.
The Car Approaches Again
Later, another car approaches. Again, the phone’s image processing changes, while the camera continues to track the lights. The footage shows the cars affecting the recording, but the lights remain in frame.
Near the end of the video, the camera tilts down. The recording stops without showing what happened to the lights afterward. The officer described them as flashing, but the video alone does not reveal what was behind them.
What We Still Don’t Know
It is not known what produced the lights or caused them to flash. According to the explanation accompanying the report, a phone’s image processing, including autofocus, can alter the appearance and movement of distant objects, especially when zoomed in. The record contains no further information identifying the light source.
The camera lowers, and the lights remain unidentified.