Utah resident Tyler Robinson, 22, has been named as the man who allegedly shot and killed Charlie Kirk, and the casing of a fired bullet related to the incident was reportedly inscribed with, "Notices Bulges 'OwO What's This?'"

The phrase is a reference to a viral copypasta that parodies online furry and roleplay culture that first appeared online back in 2013.

So, what does the phrase mean, and what is the "Notices Bulge" meme? Here's what you need to know.

What Is The 'Notices Bulge OwO' Meme?

The earliest reported use of the catchphrase, or at least part of the phrase, dates back to January 6th, 2013, when DeviantArt user CookiMuffinFaic posted a screenshot of a fanfiction cover featuring furry characters titled, "OwO What is this I'm working on? A fanfic cover! :D"

However, the meme didn't really take off until 2015, when Imgur user MinotaurusPro posted a meme depicting two furries roleplaying online. In the art, one of the furries writes to the other, "nuzzles u back and pounces on u and notices your buldge 'OwO what's this…?" In the case of the meme, "bulge" refers to noticing the outline of a man's crotch.

The meme is meant to make fun of furry roleplaying, including the language and typing quirks stereotypically attributed to roleplayers and furries. Notably, the meme uses the symbol "OwO," which is an emoticon commonly used by furries to portray a cutesy surprised face, similar to "UwU." It is also used outside the furry community on the internet, often ironically.

How Is 'Notices Bulge OwO' Used In Memes?

Since 2015, the phrase has been popularized not only as a way of making fun of furries and related communities for being cringe, but has also been embraced by furries as a way of owning the meme.

The phrase has appeared in numerous memes over the past decade, including ironic memes on sites like Tumblr, X / Twitter and Reddit, among others.

While it is popular among furries, the meme has also evolved past the community, inspiring memes that reference it outside any specific community or fandom, such as memes that spell out the phrase in creative ways.

Ultimately, the phrase is portrayed in memes as being one of the most cringeworthy things someone could possibly write to another person.

As furries have increasingly embraced the meme, it has become harder to tell whether any individual meme using the phrase is made by a furry, a troll or just a regular meme lover.

In late 2018, the "Rawr x3 / You So Warm Copypasta Rap" by YouTuber Senzawa was then released, which was inspired by the Notices Bulge OwO meme.

Accumulating nearly 7 million views in just two months and a total of 31 million since then, Senzawa's "i turned a bad copypasta into a bad rap" video helped to popularize the meme even further.

What Was Written On The Bullet Casing Fired By Tyler Robinson?

On the morning of September 12th, 2025, a press conference was held revealing details about political commentator and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk's alleged shooter. Prior to this, rumors that the bullet casings had references to "transgender ideologies" inscribed on them spread online. Now, it's been confirmed that the fired bullet casing had the phrase "Notices bulges, OwO what's this?" inscribed on it.

Notably, this phrase is not a reference to transgender ideology, but a meme. It is a reference to furry and online roleplay culture, largely used in an ironic and demeaning way.

Social media users were quick to share the news of the inscription, finding it both absurd and shocking. Some have taken this to mean that Robinson was a furry, while others are hypothesizing that it's just a dark joke.

The other, unfired bullet casings were also inscribed with phrases, including, "O Bella Ciao, Bella Ciao" (an Italian song dedicated to the Italian resistance fighting against the occupying troops of Germany), "If you read this you are gay lmao" and "Hey fascist! Catch! up arrow, right arrow, three down arrows," which is a reference to the Eagle 500kg Bomb from the video game Helldivers 2.

What Are Some More 'Notices Bulge OwO' Memes?

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For the full history of the Notices Bulge OwO meme, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.