Meaning behind disturbing messages written on bullets in Charlie Kirk shooting explained

The messages written on the ammunition allegedly used by Tyler Robinson to assassinate Charlie Kirk have been revealed.

In a press conference on Friday (12 September), the FBI announced they had 22-year-old Tyler Robinson in custody for the murder.

They explained that Robinson was apprehended after a family member reached out to a friend who then tipped off authorities.

On Wednesday (10 September), Kirk was struck by a single shot to the neck during a debate at Utah Valley University (UVU).

While the 31-year-old political activist was taken to the hospital, he was declared dead shortly afterwards.

Charlie Kirk was killed on 10 September (Alex Wong / Staff / Getty)

The press conference disclosed that a bolt-action rifle was found wrapped in a dark coloured towel, and hidden in a wooded area.

Bullet casings were then found near the scene, with several messages written on them, some of which referenced online lingo.

"I know there's been speculation as to the writing on the casings, the bullet casings," said Utah Governor Spencer Cox.

"I believe we have that as well... investigators noticed inscriptions engraved on casings... inscriptions on a fired casing read 'notices', 'bulges', 'OWO' 'what's this?'

"Inscriptions on the three unfired casings read 'hey fascist!', 'catch!' and ↑→↓↓↓.

"A second unfired casing read 'oh Bella caio, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao', and another said: 'if you read this you are gay lmao'."

So, what do they mean?

Experts have broken it down.

For 'notices, bulges, OWO, what's this?,’ it’s allegedly a meme about furry subculture, which encompasses sexual attraction to anthropomorphic animal character costumes.

OwO is an emoticon of a cute face and is used to flirt, but outside of the community, it is used to mock.

But mostly, it’s likely to have double meanings.

Tyler Robinson is in custody (FBI)

Jamie Cohen, an assistant professor of media studies at Queens College in New York, said as per Sky News’s NBC: "Oftentimes this extremely online disguise is meant to be doublespeak."

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."

As for the 'Hey, fascist! Catch ↑ → ↓↓↓' message, Utah governor Spencer Cox said the writing 'speaks for itself’, but those within the online gaming community were quick to point out its reference to Helldivers 2.

In the game, players use the arrow sequence to summon a 500kg bomb.

'Oh bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao,’ inscription references the classic Italian song that was an anti-fascism anthem during Benito Mussolini's rule.

'If you read this, you are gay lmao,’ is simply a childish insult, that Lindsay Hahn, a University at Buffalo associate professor, says is part of a bid to simply be talked about.

She said as per NBC: "But what they do indicate, is that the shooter wanted to get a message across and therefore be talked about online.

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

All in all, the messages were:

• "Notices. Bulges. OWO. What's this?"
• "Hey fascist! Catch!"
• "O bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao"
• "If you read this, you're gay. LMAO."