Writing on ammo is ancient, but the way shooters are doing it now offers a window into their motive

Sling Projectile, 5th century BC. Heritage Images/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Scrawled messages on bullet casings and weapons left behind have popped up at several high-profile shootings over the past year. The seemingly unusual practice is actually reminiscent of a centuries-old tactic but can often provide insight to investigators.

From the fatal 2024 ambush of UnitedHealthCare CEO Brian Thompson to the August attack on a Minneapolis Catholic school , plus deadly shootings this month of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and people at a Dallas immigration facility , each gunman inscribed messages on their ammunition and firearms depicting cultural and political ideologies.

Experts say while the micro-trend is alarming, in some instances it’s revealing for detectives pars