More info has emerged on the Utah man who was arrested at the University of Utah earlier this month for allegedly threatening to “Kirk” a College Republican, a comment that was interpreted as a reference to the September assassination of right-wing activist and speaker Charlie Kirk.
Riley Beesley, the vice chairman of the Utah Federation of College Republicans, was attending a tabling event hosted by Reawaken USA. The event, which occurred on Monday, Jan. 12, involved Republican students “engaging in debates” with others on campus, which Beesley called similar to those held by Turning Point USA.
Dean Stewart, 21, allegedly referred to Beesley and the College Republicans as “Nazis” and “pigs,” among other terms.
“And soon after [he] declared to us, ‘you should die,’ followed by, ‘I am going to Kirk you,’ which you could only think that means I’m… going to shoot you or kill you,” Beesley told Fox News this week.
Utah Sen. Mike Lee and others reacted to the incident, which occurred during an event hosted by ReAwakenUSA at the University of Utah.
The man allegedly threatened to “Charlie Kirk” students on campus.
“Charlie Kirk would be devastated to know that “Kirk” is now a verb—used… pic.twitter.com/Y3BQjpJoZn
— Heidi Hatch KUTV (@tvheidihatch) January 13, 2026
“As he walked off, he positioned himself directly in front of several campus police officers where he gestured with his arms in a manner mimicking aiming a rifle at us, thrusting them enthusiastically, as I’d say, while shouting, ‘you should die’ and calling us ‘Nazi pigs,’” he continued, adding that the police watched the incident unfold.
Another student who was present for the tabling event previously told Fox News Digital that Stewart said he hoped the students got “Kirked.”
Stewart was arrested just moments after making the shooting gestures. Both jail records and the University of Utah confirmed his arrest. He was charged with disorderly conduct, making threats, and disobeying a lawful order. He reportedly bonded out that same day, though no further information was available at the time of publication.
Beesley, who was at Utah Valley University when Kirk was murdered on Sept. 10, called Stewart’s actions “profoundly awful.”
“I know it’s exactly what we need to be out there doing, but anytime that we go out there on our campus in Utah, is there gonna be a threat that someone is going to shoot us?” Beesley asked. “Because this is exactly what we’ve seen the last two times I’ve been out there trying to debate. One, I saw Charlie Kirk murdered, and two, now I’m having somebody say that they’re gonna ‘Kirk’ me.”
Violent rhetoric and action such as this has become far too common in Utah.
Democrats have radicalized the youth to viciously hate President Donald J. Trump and Republicans.
We demand the @UUtah denounce this students behavior, and immediately stop the indoctrination. https://t.co/BF2Gg66ijn
— Utah College Republicans (@UtahCollegeReps) January 14, 2026
It was not publicly available whether Stewart was a student and, if he was, whether the university had disciplined him. When the University of Utah issued a statement to the Deseret News following the incident, it did not call Stewart a student.
Stewart’s comments, and the reference to Kirk, come as questions begin mounting regarding the trial of Tyler Robinson, Kirk’s alleged killer. Utah Sen. Mike Lee has called for Robinson to be publicly executed. Utah prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Robinson, who was charged with aggravated murder.
Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, recently filed court documents pushing for a speedy trial. The defense filed a motion to keep cameras, including still photographers and TV cameras, out of the courtroom.
