Experts have described engravings left on ammunition at the scene of the Charlie Kirk shooting as “extremely online” – so what do the words and symbols actually mean?

Authorities said on Friday that the suspect accused of fatally shooting the Conservative activist left behind bullet casings featuring references to fascism, video games and internet memes.

To those who aren’t chronically online, the messages may appear to be total gibberish. But for others, specifically gamers, many of the meanings will have immediately been clear.

Here’s what each of the casings reference – and why experts have cautioned against using them to make assumptions about the suspect’s political leanings.

1. ‘notices, bulges, OWO, what’s this?’

This writing appears to reference a meme about the furry subculture, which centres on an interest in anthropomorphic animal characters.

Within the furry community, OwO is an emoticon of a cute face (with the Os as the eyes and the w as a cute mouth or nose) and used as a way of flirting – but outside the community, it is often used in a mocking way, or as part of trolling.

It’s incredibly common for phrases used by people who are “extremely online” – which essentially means highly engaged in online culture – to have double or multiple meanings.

For this reason, experts have cautioned against trying to interpret messages such as these engravings to determine an attacker’s political leanings or motive.

Jamie Cohen, an assistant professor of media studies who studies memes at Queens College in New York, said: “Oftentimes this extremely online disguise is meant to be doublespeak.”

Speaking to Sky News’ US partner NBC News, he continued: “It’s meant specifically for someone like me to dive into what they would call meme culture and declare them something so that they get more press.

“So it could just be another bait and switch for researchers who are falling into the same trap that they are designing for more viral exposure.”

2. ‘Hey, fascist! Catch ↑ → ↓↓↓’

When asked by Sky News’ US correspondent James Matthews what the messages on the casings meant, Utah governor Spencer Cox said the writing referring to a fascist “speaks for itself”.

The second half of the inscription – the directional arrows – were immediately identified by some gamers.

Helldivers 2 players have pointed out that the arrow sequence is the code used to summon a 500kg bomb in the 2024 game – which itself has been interpreted as a satire of fascism.

👉 Follow Trump100 on your podcast app 👈

3. ‘Oh bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao’

Bella Ciao is a classic Italian song that became a popular anti-fascism anthem during Benito Mussolini’s dictatorship.

It has won renewed popularity in recent years thanks, in part, to featuring multiple times in Netflix’s Spanish television series Money Heist.

A popular remix of Bella Ciao has hit more than 260 million streams on Spotify worldwide and it’s become a favourite on TikTok, as well as within the gaming community.

Read more:
All we know about the suspected assassin
The string of bloody political violence in the MAGA era

4. ‘If you read this, you are gay lmao’

This juvenile insult, using the well-known abbreviation for ‘laughing my ass off’, is a common ‘gotcha’ phrase and simply appears to mock investigators.

The messages, another expert has said, make one thing clear – the suspect was likely seeking fame.

Lindsay Hahn, a University at Buffalo associate professor who researches ideological extremism and the ways in which perpetrators of violence justify their actions, said the messages do not necessarily indicate a specific ideology.

“But what they do indicate, is that the shooter wanted to get a message across and therefore be talked about online,” she told NBC.

“It sort of seems like these messages, at the very minimum, were selected because he knew they were going to be talked about.”

Erika Kirk, the widow of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, described him as a “perfect” husband and father, and said the “evildoers” who assassinated him have no idea what they have unleashed.

“You have no idea of the fire that you have ignited within this wife, the cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry,” she said on Friday in her first public remarks since the assassination.

“If you thought that my husband’s mission was powerful before, you have no idea, you have no idea what you just have unleashed across this entire country and this world, you have no idea.”

Mrs Kirk addressed the public after a silent prayer from the studio where her husband recorded his podcast.

She thanked President Donald Trump and vice president JD Vance and his “phenomenal” wife, Usha, for the support, and praised the emergency teams who tried to save her husband’s life.

“Charlie said if he ever ran for office, his top priority would be to revive the American family. That was his priority,” Mrs Kirk said.

“But most of all, Charlie loved his children. And he loved me. With all his heart. And he made sure I knew that every day,” she said.

She called him a “perfect” father and husband, as she held back tears. She also talked about some of his favourite hobbies.

Read more:
Charlie Kirk suspect arrested after tip-off from father
All we know about the suspect

Mrs Kirk said the campus tour that his organisation, Turning Point USA, had started will continue – and urged young people to join her late husband’s political movement.

“I promise I will never let your legacy die,” she said, addressing her husband, vowing to make his movement the “biggest thing this nation has ever seen”.

Mrs Kirk says she doesn’t remember the last time she slept, and shared a story about their daughter when she ran into her arms and asked: “Where’s daddy?”

“What do you tell a three-year-old?”

Mrs Kirk finished her remarks, speaking directly to her husband: “I can’t wait to see you again one day.”

“God bless you all, and may God bless America,” she said as she wrapped up her speech.

US officials have confirmed the suspect in the killing of Charlie Kirk has been arrested and identified as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson.

Utah governor Spencer Cox started a news conference with the phrase “we got him”, adding that a member of Robinson’s family alerted authorities. It has been widely reported that Robinson’s father had turned him in.

The details broadly match information released by US President Donald Trump earlier on Fox News.

Explainer: All we know about the suspect

Mr Kirk, 31, a Trump supporter and right-wing influencer, was fatally shot in the neck on Wednesday afternoon while speaking to university students at an event in Utah.

Two people were previously arrested and then released, with officials saying they were only persons of interest.

FBI director Kash Patel, who also spoke at the news conference, confirmed the suspect was taken into custody on Thursday at 10pm local time (5am UK time).

He praised Mr Cox and Mr Trump for their support and finished with a message for Charlie Kirk: “To my friend Charlie Kirk. Rest now, brother. We have the watch and I’ll see you in Valhalla.”

Robinson believed Kirk was ‘full of hate’

Mr Cox described how messages between Tyler Robinson and his roommate revealed information about the alleged plot including details about a rifle, matching the description of the weapon recovered after the shooting.

Bullets with messages inscribed on the casings were also discovered with the rifle, including “Hey fascist! Catch!” and “If you read this, you are gay, LMAO”.

Explainer: How Charlie Kirk was killed

Mr Cox said a family member told officials that Robinson “had become more political in recent years” and had criticised Charlie Kirk, adding that Robinson said Mr Kirk was “full of hate and spreading hate”.

Robinson ‘confessed’ to killing

Utah’s governor said a family member reached out to a friend, who contacted authorities on Thursday with information that Robinson had confessed or implied that he carried out the shooting.

Sky’s US partner network NBC News reports the family member was Robinson’s father, who went to a church minister, who then contacted a local sheriff.

Mr Cox said he thought Robinson acted alone and there was no evidence anyone else was involved, but did not speculate on a potential motive. He added that Robinson had been living for a long time with his family in Washington County, in southwest Utah.

Follow The World

Listen to The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim every Wednesday

Tap to follow

Neighbour: He was ‘smart’ and ‘quiet’

Kristin Schwiermann, a neighbour of the suspect’s family, said he was “smart”, “quiet” and “never caused any problems”.

“I am shocked, very shocked,” she said. “I feel for his mom. She’s a great mom, and he has a great dad.”

At the time of the shooting, Robinson was a third-year student on the electrical apprenticeship programme at Dixie Technical College in Utah.

He previously earned a four-year scholarship to Utah State University, but left after one semester in 2021.

Robinson did not appear to have any criminal history, according to state records. He was a registered voter but was
not affiliated with a political party, according to voter records.

Mr Kirk was the president and co-founder of Turning Point USA, a prominent organisation that engages conservative youth on school campuses.

Read more: Who was Charlie Kirk?

The father of two, who had millions of followers across social media, appeared at Utah Valley University on Wednesday as part of a planned tour of US college campuses.

Vigil for Kirk held in London

A vigil for Mr Kirk was held at the Montgomery Statue in Whitehall, in central London, on Friday night.

The sombre event was organised by Turning Point UK, the British branch of Kirk’s right-wing youth political organisation.

“Charlie Kirk laid his life down for young people,” said Maisey.

While Jade, wearing a Make America Great Again hat with “RIP Charlie Kirk” written on it, said: “I was very, very sad when I heard the news. I didn’t agree with everything he said but that’s OK! I’m just sad I never got to meet him.”

Turning Point UK’s chief executive Jack Ross told the crowd: “Charlie Kirk has a fantastic legacy and he did so much to shape politics in the West. He stood up for free speech, he stood up for what’s right and we demand justice.

“Charlie was not killed because he talked. He was killed because people listened.”

Charges expected next week

Robinson is due to make an initial court appearance next Tuesday, when he is also expected to be charged, the Utah County attorney’s office said.

He is being held without bail after being arrested on suspicion of aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily harm and obstruction of justice charges, according to a court affidavit.

‘Big breakthrough’, says Vance

Mr Kirk’s body was flown back from Salt Lake City to his home state of Arizona on Air Force Two on Thursday, with the US vice president and close friend JD Vance on board.

On Friday, Mr Vance posted on X that the arrest was a “big breakthrough”. He added: “We took a big step this morning in getting justice for Charlie, and for his family.”

Mr Trump said he plans to attend Mr Kirk’s funeral, although no date has yet been set.