The assailants in several recent mass shootings left behind messages inscribed on bullet casings, posing a dilemma for journalists who want to inform the public without inspiring copycats.

Why it matters: Media outlets don't typically publish manifestos from shooters, but extremism experts warn the messages on the bullets may play the same role.

What they're saying: "[T]he highest order of business" for journalists is to try and get to the facts without giving shooters the attention they seek, but that's become more difficult with this new wave of "performative" attacks, Terence Samuel, chair of the National Press Foundation Board of Directors and former editor-in-chief at USA Today, told Axios.

Threat level: The internet subculture that fosters and spreads extremist communities online

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