University of Utah student accused of making gun gestures and threatening to shoot conservative debaters

A University of Utah student was arrested Monday after a viral video caught him allegedly making gun gestures and threatening to shoot conservative campus speakers during a public debate outside the school’s Marriott Library.

Dean Stewart, 21, was arrested by University of Utah police and charged with disorderly conduct, uttering threats and disobeying a lawful order, the university said.

A video of the incident, which went viral on social media, appeared to show Stewart making a shooting gesture at speakers from Reawaken USA, a conservative organization based at the University of Utah.

Reawaken USA has a campus tour program similar to that of the late Charlie Kirk’s organization Turning Point USA (TPUSA), in which speakers travel to various universities to debate political issues.

CHARLIE KIRK’S WIDOW FIGHTS TO KEEP NEWS CAMERAS IN COURTROOM FOR REPORTED KILLER’S TRIAL

“Holy s—, did you see that,” says 19-year-old Reawaken USA speaker Aden Nicholas in the background of the video.

Reawaken USA founder, president and CEO James Owen told Fox News Digital that he and Nicholas were debating a student in front of the Marriott Library when Stewart approached them.

“He called us ‘Nazi pigs’ and started saying that someone should shoot us in the neck,” Owen said. “Then he said, ‘I should kill you.’ He started making gun motions at us, went into the crowd, came back out and then kept making gun motions and said, ‘I have to shoot you.’ He said, “Don’t get too close or I might kill you.” As he walked away, he made a pump-action shotgun motion, and then the police got up and arrested him.

PROSECUTORS Plan to ‘Contaminate’ KIRK TYLER ROBINSON to Sway Jury to Death Penalty: FMR US ATTY

University officials said in a statement that Stewart “disrupted an event,” told speakers to “shoot in the neck” and “repeatedly made hand gestures of shooting.” [them] with a gun.”

“He said he ‘hoped we would get shot in the neck’ and ‘get kirked,’” said Nicholas, who had never protested on a college campus before.

Kirk, the founder of TPUSA, was murdered on September 10, 2025 while visiting Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.

The University of Utah student allegedly made a shooting move on campus. (Wake up USA)

CHARLIE KIRK’S SECURITY CHIEF SAYS POLICE PROMISE TO COVER ROOFS FAILED BEFORE MURDER

His accused killer, Tyler Robinson, is charged with aggravated murder and faces the death penalty if convicted.

Police responded “very quickly,” Owen said, picking up Stewart and asking Reawaken officials if they wanted to file charges, and they agreed.

Despite Monday’s incident, Reawaken USA continued its tour on Tuesday, with Owens noting a student who intervened during Stewart’s apparent outburst.

HOW UNIVERSITY INDOCTRINATION IS BECOMING DEADLY, AND WHY ONE SCHOLARS SAYS IT’S ONLY GETTING WORSE

“One of those students who was extremely hostile came up to the microphone and even stopped [Stewart] before he went out to do [the shooting motion] the second time,” Owens said. “Security heard them say, ‘Hey dude, I know we don’t agree with these guys, but they seem really nice. I don’t think you should do that.’ … The students actually responded. If you can’t believe it [it, our topic] was ‘the left is more violent than the right’, and they sat there, and I think they realized they needed that[ed] to crush that.

The University of Utah confirmed that the person arrested in the incident was a 21-year-old student. (Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images)

“After the event, as we were escorted out by our security, [an attendee] came up to me and said, “Hey James, I know we’ve argued with you about it, but we can see where you’re right. Are you here tomorrow?'” he continued. “I said, ‘Yes,’ and [Tuesday]when we came [back]more than 150 students showed up. They immediately came up and said, “James, we looked up all the stats. We can see it.’ In front of me and Aden they said, ‘What can we do?’ … We’re not trying to own the liberals. We’re trying to bridge the gap, eliminate the polarization… and bring people to the truth.”

Owen founded Reawaken USA after Kirk’s death, with a mission to “identify, develop and deploy the next generation of cultural leaders.”

VIDEO CAPTURE OF CHARLIE KIRK SUSPECTING TYLER ROBINSON DURING POLICE MANHUNT IN UTAH

“When Charlie Kirk died, everyone saw a void,” Owen said. “I had a lot of opportunities, a lot of organizations approached me to sign me. … Instead of focusing all the attention on me on tour, I decided I wanted to do something more.”

Reawaken USA teamed up with a number of political influencers for the tour, including Nicholas, a recent college graduate who started working as a congressional campaign manager at the age of 17.

“His vision for Reawaken was something that really captivated me from the start,” Nicholas said. “We called a while ago about something completely unrelated, and toward the end of the conversation James said, ‘You know, I really think you should start influencing. Can you imagine yourself behind a debate table?’

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“I have family members who specifically [said]”Can you promise you won’t go to college campuses to debate?” I thought it was all very ironic,” he continued. “I just really enjoy having discussions about different policies, different cultural perspectives, different political perspectives, because I think that’s something that we’re missing in America. Whether you like Charlie Kirk or not, everyone admits that he was willing to have the conversation, and that’s what I was super excited about.”

Reawaken USA will make 32 stops on its campus tour, traveling to states including Utah, California, New York and Pennsylvania.