Investigators searching the area where conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was shot and killed recovered a spent cartridge engraved with the phrase "Notices bulge OwO what's this?," a meme linked to transgender and furry online subcultures, officials and media reports said. The discovery has prompted law enforcement to probe whether the messages on the ammunition — and the suspect's online and personal connections — bear on motive.
Kirk was struck by a single high-powered rifle round as he spoke at Utah Valley University on Wednesday night and died after being shot in the neck, authorities have said. A bolt-action hunting rifle chambered in .30-06 and fitted with a telescopic sight was recovered near the scene, along with three other engraved cartridges in its magazine, law enforcement officials told media outlets.
The casing bearing "Notices bulge OwO what's this?" was found in a wooded area near the campus. The phrase comes from an internet "copypasta" meme that first appeared in 2013 on DeviantArt, according to KnowYourMeme, and later circulated in social spaces where role-playing and flirtatious language are common. "OwO" is an emoticon used online to convey a playful or coy expression; the phrase "notices bulge" typically references male genitalia and has been used in both furry and transgender-related online contexts, researchers and commentators say.
The three other engraved messages on the rounds recovered in the rifle's magazine included a line referencing the anti-fascist song "Bella Ciao," an apparent taunt reading "Hey fascist! Catch!" with a reference to the video game Helldivers 2, and the phrase "If you read this, you are gay LMAO," according to images of the cartridges and reporting by news outlets.
Law enforcement has said the shot was fired from an elevated position about 200 yards away and that the rifle was a manually operated bolt-action, similar to firearms commonly used for hunting. Authorities have not publicly attributed a motive for the killing, and investigators have said they are examining the recovered rifle, the engraved ammunition and the suspect's possible online associations.
Tyler Robinson, identified by authorities as the suspect in the shooting, has been arrested and was photographed in a booking image released by law enforcement. Robinson has not confessed and, according to Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, has refused to cooperate with investigators. Cox said Sunday that those close to Robinson have been cooperating and that they told investigators that Robinson was "deeply indoctrinated in leftist ideology." The governor did not cite specific evidence to support that characterization.
Robinson reportedly lived with a partner, Lance Twiggs, who has publicly identified as transgender, and social media images show Twiggs wearing items associated with the furry community, including animal-ear accessories. Officials said they are reviewing both digital and physical evidence to determine whether the engraved messages were intended as indicators of motive or merely reflected online subcultural references.
Officials have said the rifle used in the killing contained four cartridges: the fired round recovered separately and three live rounds inside the firearm. The manually operated German Mauser–style action requires the shooter to cycle the bolt between shots, a detail investigators have noted while reconstructing the incident. Law enforcement has described the shooting as a single-shot sniper-style attack from a distance.
Utah Gov. Cox, speaking on national television, linked the killing to the influence of social media in polarizing public discourse and said those platforms have played a role in recent politically motivated attacks. He said the suspect could face the death penalty if convicted; prosecutors have not yet announced charging decisions tied to motive.
Investigators have emphasized that no official determination has been made tying the killing to transgender rights, the furry community, or any other single issue. Federal and local authorities continue to review evidence, including the engraved messages and the suspect's digital footprints, to establish a clearer timeline and possible motives. Prosecutors and law enforcement have asked anyone with additional information to come forward as they continue the inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Kirk's death.