The suspect accused of killing Charlie Kirk had inscribed messages on bullet casings found alongside the gun allegedly used in the attack, including some expressing anti-fascist sentiment.
Tyler Robinson, 22, was arrested in connection with the shooting of the Turning Point USA founder after a family member helped turn him in to authorities.
At a press conference Friday morning, Utah Governor Spencer Cox—who proudly declared “we got him after a two-day manhunt”—described how law enforcement recovered a bolt-action rifle in a wooded area near where Kirk was shot at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.
Cox said investigators also discovered engraved casings with the rifle, including one that read “Hey, fascist! Catch!”
Another casing was inscribed with “Bella ciao, Bella ciao, Bella ciao, ciao,” which may be a reference to an Italian anti-fascist anthem. The song is often sung on April 25, Liberation Day in Italy, which commemorates the fall of Benito Mussolini’s fascist regime.
One casing featured an “Up” arrow, a right arrow, and three arrows pointing down. Arrows used in this order are a meme in video gaming culture, and stems from a series of commands for the game Helldivers 2 to release a large-scale bomb.
Other inscriptions included “Notices bulges OWO what’s this?”—a phrase associated with trolling in online roleplay and furry communities—and “if you read this, you are gay, lmao,” which was etched onto an unfired casing.
Authorities have not yet officially established a motive for the shooting. Cox said Robinson’s family described him as having “become more political in recent years,” noting his expressed dislike for the influential MAGA figure.
“In the conversation with another family member, Robinson mentioned that Charlie Kirk was coming to UVU. They talked about why they didn’t like him and the viewpoints that he had,” Cox said.
Earlier reports claimed that bullets inside the weapon were carved with “transgender and anti-fascist ideology.”
The Wall Street Journal first cited those claims without further detail. Justice Department officials later walked back on the claims surrounding the pro-trans messaging—which were quickly seized upon by conservative and MAGA figures— urging caution as it “may not accurately reflect the messages on the ammunition.”
Cox called the killing of Kirk a “watershed moment,” in the U.S., and likened it to the political assassinations of the 1960s.
“I want to thank the family members of Tyler Robinson, who did the right thing in this case and were able to bring him into law enforcement,” Cox told reporters.
“I especially want to thank the family of Charlie Kirk—Erika, Charlie’s parents, his children. I want us to be thinking of them as we bring justice in this case. They will be involved in that justice.”
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