The murder of Charlie Kirk is undoubtedly one of the most shocking and controversial cases to have recently shaken the United States. Although the main suspect has already been identified, what captured most attention were the eerie messages carved into the bullets.
On Wednesday, September 10, Charlie Kirk was participating in an outdoor event at Utah Valley University (UVU) as part of his “Prove Me Wrong” tour, in which he debated with students on issues such as gun control and school violence. At 12:20 p.m., in front of a crowd of over 3,000 people, a gunshot rang out. Kirk collapsed after being struck in the neck. Panic erupted as security agents rushed to evacuate the area. Although he was immediately transported to a nearby hospital, the conservative activist died shortly after.
At first, authorities pursued several lines of investigation and even released images of other potential suspects. However, within hours, they ruled out those individuals and focused their efforts on one person: Tyler Robinson.
Robinson, 22, is originally from Washington, Utah, a small town in the southern part of the state. With no prior criminal record and from a family tied to public institutions—his father worked at the sheriff’s office and his mother in social services—Robinson had been considered a model college student, living on scholarship and leading an apparently calm life.
However, according to relatives and acquaintances, in recent years he began to radicalize politically and openly express his rejection of Charlie Kirk and his speeches.
What the Disturbing Messages on the Bullets Said
The case took an unexpected turn when Robinson’s own father turned him in to the police after his son confessed to the crime. The arrest was carried out on the night of Thursday, September 11, near Zion National Park, about 250 miles from the attack site. Robinson will be tried as an adult and could face the death penalty, which remains in force in Utah.
One of the most unsettling details of the investigation were the inscriptions found on the casings recovered both at the crime scene and at the site where the weapon was discovered. According to Utah authorities, these markings appeared not only on the fired casing but also on several unfired rounds.
On the fired casing, the message read:
“notices bulges OWO what’s this?”
A phrase seemingly drawn from internet slang and online forums, possibly carrying a vulgar or ironic tone. Its exact meaning remains a subject of debate among users and specialists.
On the unfired rounds, several other phrases were discovered:
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“Hey fascist! catch!”
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“If you read this, you’re gay lmao”
Additionally, some casings contained arrow-like symbols pointing in different directions, which could have ideological undertones—or may simply have been decorative. Authorities stated these inscriptions reflected a mix of ideological provocation and digital culture references, which Robinson was deeply immersed in. For investigators, these details may provide insight into the attacker’s mindset and motivations in the days leading up to the crime.
The assassination of Charlie Kirk has generated intense polarization in American society. While President Donald Trump has blamed the “radical left” and demanded the death penalty for Robinson, progressive sectors have argued that Kirk’s incendiary rhetoric also contributed to an increasingly hostile political environment.
The appearance of these messages in the evidence surrounding Charlie Kirk’s death has added a new layer of complexity to the case, turning it into not only a political crime but also a reflection of how digital culture fuels hate speech and real-world violence.
