The Story Behind Charlie Kirk Engraved Bullets - In Pictures

Foreword

It’s important to say this clearly: political violence is never acceptable. No matter what someone believes or how strongly they disagree, taking a life or using violence to make a point is both wrong and tragic. The death of Charlie Kirk is a sobering reminder of how words, symbols, and actions can spiral into something destructive.

This post looks at the unusual details surrounding the Charlie Kirk engraved bullets, but it does so with the understanding that no message, no ideology, and no joke can justify an act of violence. The goal here is not to glorify or sensationalize, but simply to unpack the strange and unsettling messages left behind.

Based on early reporting surrounding the ammunition and casings found, these 30-06 Springfield cartridges shown here are a representation of how they may have looked.

Background - The Story Behind the Four Engraved Bullet Casings

When the news first broke about the tragic shooting of Charlie Kirk, much of the focus was on the immediate events of that day. But as investigators began to look deeper, one unusual detail quickly stood out — the shooter had engraved words and phrases into the bullet casings.

These weren’t random scratches. Each casing carried a clear message, chosen with care, and they ranged from political slogans to internet jokes. Together, they became one of the most talked-about elements of the case.

The Charlie Kirk engraved bullets have since sparked countless conversations online: Were they meant as serious political statements? Were they just dark humor pulled from meme culture? Or were they something in between — a mix of symbolism and shock value?

Whatever the intent, these engravings have left people both disturbed and fascinated. They tell us something about the world we live in now — where politics, online culture, and violence sometimes collide in ways that feel surreal.

In this post, we’ll walk through each of the four engraved casings, explain the words behind them, and explore why they’ve drawn so much attention.

“HEY FASCIST! CATCH!” – The Most Confrontational of the Charlie Kirk Engraved Bullets

The first casing to surface carried the phrase “HEY FASCIST! CATCH!” Confrontational, aggressive, and openly antagonistic, it immediately stood out.

Some observers have connected the phrase to gaming culture, where similar commands are used to trigger bombs or airstrikes, while others see it as a direct piece of political name-calling. Whatever the intent, this engraving gave the Charlie Kirk engraved bullets story its most vivid edge — a phrase meant to provoke, whether sincerely or for dramatic effect.

“BELLA CIAO” – How an Italian Resistance Song Ended Up on a Bullet

The second bullet casing bore the words “BELLA CIAO.” To anyone familiar with history, this instantly stands out. “Bella Ciao” is a famous Italian partisan song that became a global anthem of anti-fascist resistance during World War II.

In modern times, the song has resurfaced in protests and even popular culture, especially after it was featured in Netflix’s Money Heist. By engraving this on a bullet, the shooter seemed to be pulling from a long tradition of resistance symbolism. It’s one of the clearer political references among the engraved bullet casings in the Charlie Kirk case.

“IF YOU READ THIS, YOU ARE GAY LMAO” – Internet Meme Culture Meets Violence

Unlike the first two casings, the third message looks less like a serious political statement and more like internet trolling. “If you read this, you are gay LMAO” is the kind of throwaway joke you’d expect to see in online meme threads, not on a bullet casing tied to a national news story.

Its inclusion among the Charlie Kirk engraved bullets suggests the shooter wasn’t just aiming for ideology — but also for shock, confusion, and dark humor. It’s a reminder of how deeply online culture can bleed into real-world events.

“NOTICES BULGE OWO WHAT’S THIS?” – From Furry Role-Play to Bullet Engraving

Perhaps the strangest of the four is the casing engraved with: “*Notices bulge* OwO what’s this?” This line comes from internet and furry role-play culture, where “OwO” is an emoticon expressing cute surprise. The phrase is usually played as a parody of awkward or exaggerated role-play interactions.

Seeing it show up as part of the engraved bullets in the Charlie Kirk shooting has left many baffled. It blends absurd humor with deadly seriousness — which may have been exactly the point. More than a political message, it looks like a deliberate attempt to leave behind something weird enough to guarantee attention.

Why the Charlie Kirk Engraved Bullets Matter

Taken together, the four engraved casings don’t add up to a clear manifesto. Instead, they feel like a mix: part political statement, part trolling, part internet humor. And that’s what makes them so unsettling.

The Charlie Kirk engraved bullets have become a focal point in conversations online, not just because of their words, but because of what they represent — the messy intersection of politics, history, and internet culture in a very real and tragic act of violence.

As we reflect on this case, one truth should remain constant: violence is never the answer. Whatever the messages meant, they do not justify the tragedy that unfolded.

 

Frequently Asked Questions About the Charlie Kirk Engraved Bullets

What were the Charlie Kirk engraved bullets?

Investigators found four bullet casings at the scene of Charlie Kirk’s shooting that had words engraved into them. Each casing carried a different message — some political, some drawn from internet meme culture.

What did the Charlie Kirk engraved bullets say?

The four engravings were:

1. “HEY FASCIST! CATCH!”

2. “BELLA CIAO”

3. “IF YOU READ THIS, YOU ARE GAY LMAO”

4. “NOTICES BULGE OWO WHAT’S THIS?”

What does “Bella Ciao” mean on the bullet?

“Bella Ciao” is an old Italian folk song that became famous as an anthem of resistance against fascism during World War II. It has been revived in protests and pop culture, most recently in the Netflix series Money Heist.

Why did the bullets have internet jokes engraved on them?

Two of the casings used phrases from online meme and role-play culture. While the exact intent isn’t clear, many believe the shooter mixed serious political references with trolling humor to shock and confuse people.

Do the engravings explain the shooter’s motive?

Not completely. The messages give hints about ideology and online influences, but they don’t form a clear manifesto. Investigators and commentators see them as part political statement, part performance, and part internet shock value.