Politics

CNN Accused Of Minimizing Nature Of Messages On Ammo Linked To Charlie Kirk Murder

Gerald Shields/Wikimedia Commons

This story has been updated.

CNN on Thursday was accused of downplaying anti-fascist and transgender messaging on ammunition that had been discovered in a wooded area near Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk’s assassination.

Authorities found anti-fascist messages inscribed on the ammunition from the rifle they recovered, according to Republican Utah Gov. Spencer Cox at a Friday press conference. CNN had referred to the markings as “a range of phrases related to cultural issues” on Thursday, sparking backlash.

“CNN’s reporting reflected the information we had at the time,” a CNN spokesperson told the Daily Caller News Foundation on Thursday. “As we are able to confirm additional details, we will update our reporting accordingly.”

The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday that the messaging was pro-transgender and anti-fascist, citing anonymous sources — before issuing an update later the same day.

“An early bulletin circulated widely among law enforcement officials said investigators found ammunition engraved with expressions of ‘transgender and anti-fascist ideology’ inside the rifle that authorities believe was used in the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk,” the outlet reported. “But some officials later Thursday cautioned against reaching conclusions based on the internal report … There were also three unspent rounds in the magazine, all with wording on them, it said.”

While the messages on bullets linked to the accused shooter don’t appear to contain obvious references to transgenderism, the messages contain apparent leftist phrases.

Authorities captured bullet casings from the rifle that contained phrases like “bella ciao,” “Hey fascist! Catch!” and “If you read this you are gay LMAO,” according to Cox.

A single gunshot rang out while Kirk was speaking to students for an event at UVU. Videos posted online showed Kirk interacting with a large audience under a tent as he debated a student about mass shooters and transgender ideology before the gunshot.

Kirk founded TPUSA, a 501(c)(3) group, in 2012, intending to mobilize students to support conservative values on campus and beyond.

President Donald Trump wrote in his Truth Social statement announcing Kirk’s death on Wednesday that nobody “understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie.”

Editor’s Note: This story has been updated after authorities revealed the messages on bullet casings linked to Charlie Kirk’s accused murderer.