Charlie Kirk shooting: Bullet casings show shooter’s anti-fascist slogans, meme engravings

Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk, left a series of cryptic and politically charged messages etched onto bullet casings, offering a glimpse into his state of mind.

According to investigators, three unfired casings retrieved from Robinson’s rifle carried engravings such as “Hey fascist! Catch!” accompanied by directional arrows “↑ → ↓ ↓ ↓.” Another casing referenced the Italian anti-fascist folk song with the words, “Oh bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao.” A third read: “If you read this, you are gay LMAO.”

On a fired casing, the phrase “Notices, bulges, OwO, what’s this?” was discovered, a meme phrase linked to furry and roleplay internet subcultures. Authorities clarified that the arrows “↑ → ↓ ↓ ↓” resemble a video game command from Helldivers 2 used to summon an Eagle 500kg Bomb, and bear no connection to Antifa symbols, which typically feature three downward arrows.

“Bella Ciao” itself, sung by Italian partisans resisting Mussolini and Nazi forces during World War II, translates to “Goodbye, beautiful.” It has since evolved into a global anthem of defiance and rebellion.

The FBI has also released video footage of Robinson, while former President Donald Trump has publicly called for the death penalty.

Shooter’s background
Robinson is the son of Amber Jones Robinson and Matt Robinson, longtime residents of Washington, Utah. The family’s six-bedroom suburban home is valued at about $634,400, according to Zillow. His father, Matt, a 27-year veteran of the Washington County Sheriff’s Department, played a pivotal role in convincing his son to surrender.

Authorities said Tyler confessed to both his father and his priest before returning with his father to Orem, where he was handed over to law enforcement. “He initially threatened that he would rather kill himself but wouldn’t surrender,” a source familiar with the matter said, adding that his parents intervened.

Robinson has two brothers, as revealed in a Facebook post by his mother in 2021. Though he did not attend Utah Valley University, Utah State University confirmed he was enrolled for one semester in 2021.

“Utah State University confirms that Tyler Robinson, the suspect arrested in the killing of Charlie Kirk, briefly attended Utah State University for one semester in 2021,” the school said in a statement on its website.