The FBI has released the exact messages found written on bullets following the shooting of Charlie Kirk.
In a press conference held on Friday (12 September), the FBI announced that a suspect was being held in custody - 22-year-old Tyler Robinson.
In the conference, authorities explained how Robinson was apprehended, revealing that a family member of Robinson reached out to a family friend who contacted authorities with information regarding his alleged involvement in the shooting of Kirk.
On Wednesday (10 September), Kirk was hit by a single shot to the neck during a Utah Valley University (UVU) event.
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The 31-year-old right-wing activist was taken to hospital by his security team, where he was declared dead.
During the press conference, it was revealed that a bolt action rifle was found wrapped in a dark coloured towel, following the shooting.
Meanwhile, bullet casings were also discovered near the scene, with several messages written on them, including 'hey fascist' and 'catch'.
One unfired casing read 'oh Bella caio, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao', and another said: 'if you read this you are gay lmao'.
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"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'."
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Governor Cox also said that investigators interviewed Robinson's roommate, who showed them Discord messages between him and a contact named 'Tyler'.
The messages discussed the need to retrieve a rifle from a 'drop point' that had been left in a bush and wrapped in a towel.
The conversation also discussed that the items included a 'scope' and described the rifle as 'unique'.
Prior to the news conference on Friday, President Donald Trump said that they had a person in custody they believed to be the suspect.
He also revealed how he hoped the person responsible would receive the death penalty.
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"I think with a high degree of certainty we have him in custody," he said.
"He's in custody. We worked with the local police, the governor - everybody did a great job."
Trump continued: "You know, getting somebody that you start off with absolutely nothing - and we started off with a clip that made him look like an ant - that was almost useless.
"We just saw somebody up there. And so much work has been done over the last two and a half days.
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"You know, it's amazing really, when you start off with that and then all of a sudden you get lucky, or talent, or whatever it is.
"I hope he's gonna be found guilty, I would imagine, and I hope he gets the death penalty for what he did."
Topics: News, US News, Politics, Charlie Kirk
Lucy Devine