Utah Governor Spencer Cox announced on September 12, 2025, that unfired bullet casings discovered near the rifle of Tyler Robinson, the alleged killer of Charlie Kirk, contained inscriptions. Cox revealed that some of the casings were etched with anti-fascist messages. One casing included the phrase, “Hey fascist! Catch! ↑ → ↓ ↓ ↓.” Another casing displayed lyrics from “Bella Ciao,” a famous Italian anti-fascist song. Additional, unrelated inscriptions were also present. Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old Utah resident, is the suspect in the shooting. Law enforcement reported that Tyler threatened to kill himself when his father confronted him about the murder.
“Bella Ciao” is a prominent Italian song from the Second World War era, initially sung by Italian workers as a protest song and later embraced by partisans opposing the Nazi and fascist regimes. Its origins are uncertain, but its popularity has grown in recent times, with appearances in TV shows and video games. The song is sung on April 25 during Italy’s Liberation Day, which celebrates the end of the Nazi occupation and the defeat of Benito Mussolini’s fascist government. It has been covered by various artists, including Tom Waits and Becky G. The song was also used in protests in 2023 and 2024. “One morning I woke up” begins the song, which was also integrated into the Netflix series, Money Heist.