The gunman who assassinated Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk on Wednesday engraved “transgender and anti-fascist” writings onto ammunition cartridges that were recovered near the crime scene by U.S. Bureau Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) officers on Wednesday, according to an internal report apparently leaked from a Department of Justice (DOJ) system on Thursday.
The revelation was first made on the social media platform X by the conservative pundit and comedian Steven Crowder, who said he received the image from an ATF officer.
According to the leaked information, “The suspect fired one shot from an elevated position on a rooftop in an adjacent building on the campus and surveillance video shows the suspect jumping off and fleeing the area on foot.” Officers reportedly recovered the weapon when following the shooter’s steps, locating “an older model imported Mauser .30-06 caliber bolt action rifle wrapped in a wooden towel near the campus.”
There were a total of four cartridges, or bullets, recovered with the weapon, including one spent cartridge which was still in the weapon, according to the leaked report.
“All cartridges have engraved wording on them expressing transgender and anti-fascist ideology,” the report stated.
EXCLUSIVE: This morning my team received an e-mail from officer at ATF.
The email included a screen shot from what appears to be an internal message describing a weapon and cartridges located by an ATF and other law enforcement near the scene of the Charlie Kirk shooting at… pic.twitter.com/UKtOUPY5DC
— Steven Crowder (@scrowder) September 11, 2025
Crowder’s report was later corroborated by the Wall Street Journal, whose sources confirmed, “Investigators found ammunition engraved with transgender and antifascist ideology inside the rifle.”
The FBI additionally confirmed specific details present in the leaked information, though it has not confirmed the weapon included transgender or anti-fascist writings.
“I can tell you that we have recovered what we believe is the weapon used in yesterday’s shooting: a high-powered bolt action rifle,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls on Wednesday. “That rifle was recovered in a wooded area where the shooter had fled.”
Bohls added, “Investigators have also collected footwear impression, a palm print, and forearm imprints for analysis.”
Kirk was shot on Wednesday on the Utah Valley University campus by a shooter who remained unidentified and at large at press time. His passing was formally announced by President Donald Trump. Married to wife Erika in 2021, Kirk is survived by two young children.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Image “ATF Memo” by Steve Crowder and “Rooftop Figure” by @Faze_Aze.
Dead men tell no tales.