A 19-year-old man, Xaelyn Dunbar, has been arrested for making terroristic threats on social media ahead of a vigil honoring Charlie Kirk at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Dunbar, who was allegedly associated with the San Antonio Young Republicans, posted comments suggesting he planned to use his truck to disrupt the event, which drew over 1,000 people. The threats were flagged by law enforcement and led to his arrest. During the arrest, Dunbar admitted that he posted the comments and acknowledged the potential threat, though he maintained it was a joke.
According to an arrest affidavit, Dunbar initially dismissed the comments as mere ‘clowning around,’ stating that even though he was 19, he ‘still acts like a kid.’ When asked about the criminal charges, he stated, ‘If that’s what it takes, I did what I did, and I can take the consequences.’ Dunbar remains in the Bexar County Jail on a $40,000 bond while awaiting trial.
The incident has raised concerns about the safety of public gatherings, especially following the assassination of Charlie Kirk on Sept. 10 at Utah Valley University. The vigil in San Antonio was held to commemorate Kirk, a prominent conservative activist and co-founder of Turning Point USA. The case has garnered attention due to its connection to campus security and the broader context of rising tensions around politically charged events.
Xaelyn Dunbar’s alleged threats were reportedly made on the Facebook page of the San Antonio Young Republicans, which was promoting the campus vigil. The Southwest Texas Fusion Center, an interagency intelligence hub run by the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD), flagged the threats and relayed the information to the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) Police Department. The SAPD then coordinated with Universal City police to respond to Dunbar’s residence in Sagebrush Apartments.
The arrest underscores the complexities surrounding the balance between free speech and public safety, particularly in the wake of high-profile political assassinations and campus-related threats. As the legal proceedings continue, the case is expected to fuel ongoing discussions about the appropriate measures for addressing potential threats in politically charged environments.