A veteran Daily Mail writer said Friday that political assassins appear to be adopting a "copycat" pattern long seen in school shootings after investigators recovered bullet casings engraved with political messages following the killing of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
Tom Leonard made the comment in the second episode of the Daily Mail podcast series "The Assassination of Charlie Kirk," after officials announced the arrest of 22-year-old suspect Tyler Robinson. Authorities recovered casings in the woods near Utah Valley University that bore several inscriptions, and prosecutors and investigators have said those inscriptions helped inform their early understanding of the motive and mindset behind the attack.
Investigators described one fired casing as bearing the phrase "notices bulges OWO what's this?" and said three unfired casings were also inscribed. According to officials, one unfired casing read, "hey fascist! catch!" with an up arrow, a right arrow and three down arrows; another referenced the anti-fascist anthem by repeating "oh bella ciao bella ciao bella ciao ciao ciao"; and a third read, "if you read this you are gay lmao." An official identified as Cox told reporters the inscriptions were recovered as part of the response on Friday that culminated in Robinson's capture.
Leonard drew a parallel between the inscriptions and similar markings recovered in an earlier case, noting that Luigi Mangione, who is accused of ambushing and killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan last year, also left messages on ammunition. "Just like with school shooters who copy each other, we seem to have political assassins doing the same," Leonard said on the podcast. "Writing messages on the bullet casings has become a feature — it happened with Luigi Mangione in Manhattan last year. And in this case, some of the clearest indications of where the killer was coming from were literally written on the bullets — things about fascism, suggesting a left-wing stance. None of that is a surprise anymore."
Officials have described the recovered inscriptions as part of evidence being examined as investigators continue to build the case. Robinson has been identified by law enforcement as the suspect arrested in connection with Kirk's death; court records and formal charging documents have not been provided in the reporting released Friday.
The Daily Mail podcast episode that included Leonard's remarks is part of a broader media and law-enforcement effort to trace motive and potential links between politically targeted killings and other high-profile attacks. In recent years, researchers, law enforcement and journalists have documented instances where perpetrators of mass shootings and other acts of violence mimic details of previous attacks, a pattern that authorities say can complicate threat assessment and prevention efforts.
Officials have not linked Robinson to Mangione beyond the similarity of inscriptions described by Leonard and reported by the Daily Mail. Mangione is accused in the Manhattan killing and has appeared in court in that matter; his case remains separate and subject to prosecution and any applicable appeals.
Kirk's killing and the subsequent arrest have prompted renewed public discussion about political violence, messaging by suspects, and how investigators use physical evidence such as weapon markings to develop investigative leads. Authorities said the investigation remains active, and they urged anyone with relevant information to come forward to assist ongoing inquiries.
The Daily Mail podcast "The Assassination of Charlie Kirk" released the episode containing Leonard's analysis on Friday. Prosecutors and law-enforcement officials have said they will release additional information as it becomes available and as legal processes permit.