Charlie Kirk Shooting Suspect Engraved Bullets With Memes

Law enforcement officials have arrested Tyler Robinson, 22, in connection with the shooting death of the conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. Utah Governor Spencer Cox referenced in a press conference that investigators found shell casings with a number of engravings about fascism, meme culture, and obscure game commands. One bullet read, “Hey fascist! Catch! ↑ → ↓↓↓” that was a sequence used in the video game Helldivers 2 to strike with a tactical artillery strike.

The rifle believed to be used was a Mauser Model 98, wrapped in a towel, a found near Utah Valley University. One shot casing had a phrase that read, “notices, bulges, OWO, what’s this?” which is associated with furry subculture role-play memes. Professionals stated that the verbiage seems deliberately obscure.

Professor Jamie Cohen, who studies meme culture at Queens College, called it “extremely online.” He believes the shooter may have selected arrow language with the intent of making motives hard to interpret, most likely to confuse the media and/or the public. Other casings had messages such as, “Oh bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao,” which is a lyric from an anti-fascist Italian folk song, and another casing which mocked investigators with the message, “If you read this, you are gay LMAO.”

Meme Culture and Mass Violence

Robinson’s use of niche internet references follows other mass shootings. Multiple recent mass attackers have combined meme-driven irony and violence. The 2022 Buffalo supermarket shooter combined racist dog whistles with memes. The Christchurch mosque attacker posted a manifesto document that dropped the influence of the games and influencers within a satirical narrative in his attack.

Experts, including Bond Benton, professor of Judaic Studies and Holocaust Studies at Montclair State University, have expressed that shooters often mix in layers of inside jokes, as a means to build notoriety within a below-the-surface fringe online community. According to Lindsay Hahn, who studies ideological extremism and uncertainty at the University at Buffalo, these inside jokes and phrases are not necessarily focused on a coherent ideology or beliefs. They often aim to get attention.

Investigation and Motive

Robinson was arrested after a relative told the Sheriff’s Office in Washington County that he had either confessed to, or implied, involvement. Governor Cox stated that the suspect expressed increasing political opinions in recent years, and had specifically mentioned that he disliked Kirk’s views after finding out he was going to UVU.

Robinson who was previously registered as a non-affiliated voter, had not voted prior to recent elections. In a photo from 2017, Robinson was dressed in a Halloween costume that represented Donald Trump, while he was sitting on his shoulders. He is likely to face charges of aggravated murder and obstruction of justice.