June 16, 2026, ST. GEORGE, Utah (Gephardt Daily) — A St. George apartment tenant who was told he could not drink alcohol in the complex’s pool area was booked into the Washington County jail after he allegedly made threats against the manager and area school children.
St. George Police responded to the complex, at 2271 E. Dinosaur Crossing, on June 9, says an arrest document for Kevin Benjamin McDermott, 27.
The manager of the apartments reported that she was threatened by McDermott, and said he was “confrontational and disorderly after he was told he can’t drink alcoholic beverages at the pool. She said that he began insulting her and calling her names as she walked away from him.”
A witnesses who had been in the area and reportedly heard the threats said McDermott had said “F*** Mormons, f*** all the Mormons…. I am going to go to a school and shoot/kill all the Mormon kids,” the arrest document says. The witness also reported that McDermott “formed his hand into a gesture resembling a gun and made sounds as if he was shooting toward the direction where (the manager) had walked away.
“The second witness stated that she heard Kevin say “f****** hate Mormons; f*** the Mormons. I’m going to go to a school and shoot all the Mormon kids.”
The witnesses said McDermott “made repeated threats to kill the victim. Kevin made hand gestures as if his hand was a gun and pointed it in the direction where the victim had walked away. These threats were made in a manner to intimidate the victim by threatening to commit an act involving the death of others.
“Kevin was threatening to commit a school shooting, with the intent to intimidate the victim. These statements were captured on footage and witnessed by several other people. Two witnesses completed witness statements.”
McDermott had been arrested in the past for making threats, the arrest statement says, and was aware of the seriousness of making terroristic threats.
“The victim was in fear that Kevin may follow through with the threats. Kevin appeared to be targeting the victims perceived religious group when he made his threats, qualifying this as a hate crime and potentially enhancable at sentencing.”
Located on Sunday and questioned, McDermott “stated ‘I don’t remember.’ He offered no other statement and seemed completely unperturbed or concerned.”
The Washington County District Attorney’s Office advised “that it qualified as a violation of 76-5-107.3, terrorism,” the police statement says.
McDermott was ordered held without bail in the Purgatory Correctional Facility.
“During his previous arrest, he threatened officers with terroristic threats only after being placed under arrest. During this present incident, Kevin has shown a pattern of escalation because he has now resorted to threatening civilians with mass shootings over very minor disputes, while among a group of bystanders. He made these threats in the middle of an apartment complex that he currently lives in.
“Kevin was previously charged for this exact crime and would be fully aware of the elements and severity of his threat to the victim. Kevin has prior military experience. His father told law enforcement that Kevin’s experience was in chemical weapons and explosives. Kevin has previously expressed that he idolizes cop-killers and wants to kill cops. Kevin would also be familiar with firearms.”
