Gov. Phil Scott, who has long opposed any new restrictions on gun ownership, shifted his position Friday following the arrest of a young man who allegedly intended to commit mass murder at a Rutland County school.
Eighteen-year-old Jack Sawyer of Poultney was arrested Thursday and, in an interview with police, outlined a detailed plan for shooting students — “as many as I can get,” according to the arrest affidavit submitted in court — at Fair Haven Union High School. It seems clear from reading the affidavit that Sawyer would likely have carried out his plan, if not for private individuals alerting authorities on two separate occasions.
Scott appeared deeply shaken by this very close call as he addressed reporters Friday afternoon in his Montpelier office. “If we are at a point when we put our kids on a bus and send them to school without being able to guarantee their safety, who are we?” he asked.
“Just yesterday, I did an interview noting that we are the safest state in the nation,” he continued, referring to remarks he made to Seven Days’ Taylor Dobbs. “But the reality of how close we came to a devastating tragedy underscores the threat of violence that faces the entire country.
“As a result, I’ve been asking myself, ‘Are we doing everything we can to protect our kids?'” Scott said. His change in heart, he added, means opening the discussion to such issues as mental health, school safety, gun safety and, potentially at least, some form of gun control legislation.
Scott would not identify any specific actions or bills he might now support. In response to questions, he said, “Everything should be on the table at this point.” He indicated that bills currently being considered by the legislature — including one that would mandate criminal background checks for all gun purchasers — would be “a starting point for us to at least have a conversation.”
And he admitted that his mind had been changed by Fair Haven’s close call. “With the events in Florida being so far away, and feeling as though we were immune to this type of threat,” he said, “but reading the affidavit and seeing how close we came to disaster, led me to believe that I have an obligation to protect our citizens.”
While a simple willingness to open a conversation about gun issues may seem an underwhelming response to a near-tragedy, it represents a definite change for Scott. “I need to be open-minded, objective and at least consider anything that will protect our kids,” he said.
Putting words into action will come later, but it was clear that the Fair Haven incident affected Scott as a leader and as a human being in a way that goes beyond the usual “thoughts and prayers” rhetoric.
The police affidavit, written by Detective Sergeant Todd Wilkins of the Vermont State Police, is a chilling document, showing how very close Vermont came to having its very own Columbine, Sandy Hook or Parkland.
The sequence of events started on Tuesday, when a parent of one of Sawyer’s friends reported to Fair Haven police that Sawyer was behaving strangely, had alluded to earlier threats against the high school and had just bought a shotgun and four boxes of ammunition.
Police learned that Sawyer had been in a residential treatment facility in Maine for more than a year to help him cope with anxiety and depression. His father, David Sawyer, told police that Jack had recently checked himself out of the facility and returned to Vermont — and had stopped taking psychiatric medication.
On Wednesday, three officers, including Fair Haven Police Chief William Humphries, interviewed Jack Sawyer, who admitted to making threats against the school in the past but said he had bought the gun for target shooting. According to the affidavit, “Chief Humphries did not ask Sawyer about any plans to commit a violent act.” Police concluded there was no evidence to continue investigating.
On Thursday, Humphries was contacted by the Dutchess County, N.Y., sheriff’s department, which said that a young woman who lived in the area had received disturbing social media messages from Sawyer. One message said, in part, “Just a few days ago I was plotting on shooting up my old high school so it’s not like I really wanted a future anyways.” In a message sent on Wednesday, in the wake of the Florida incident, Sawyer wrote, “That’s fantastic. 100% support it.”
Sawyer was then taken into custody by the Vermont State Police. According to Wilkins’ affidavit, Sawyer told police that he had been inspired to commit a mass school shooting by reading a book about the 1999 Columbine incident, in which 13 people were killed and another 21 wounded. He said he had bought the shotgun for use in his plan, and had selected ammunition that would “cause greater casualties and injuries,” Wilkins reported.
Sawyer also recounted details of his plan, according to Wilkins, including his thoughts on inflicting maximum casualties. In a search of Sawyer’s car, police found the shotgun and a diary entitled “Journal of an Active Shooter.”
It’s clear from reading the affidavit that Sawyer would not have been stopped without the intervention of not one, but two private individuals who independently reported their concerns to police. At the press conference, Scott and other officials repeatedly urged Vermonters, “If you see something, say something.”
Sawyer was arraigned Friday in Rutland County Superior Court on charges of attempted aggravated murder, attempted first-degree murder and attempted aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He is being held without bail. Conviction on the first charge could mean a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
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Snow Creek, there are more informative articles that reinforce that the arrest was justified. You can give them a read http://www.rutlandherald.com/articles/poli…
Shannon- never mind. Lets just start sending every kid to prison who thinks of a threat.
We should also lock up Stephen King. As he wrote the original journal on school terrorism
He was also an out of control cocaine addict as well
Under todays laws imagine what would happen if he went target shooting with a copy of his at work book ‘carrie’ in tow? Along with being loaded on Cocaine and Alcohol?
he would be charged in the same manner this young man is.
Do you think he would have gone on to the career he has?
Or would he be a failure for life for writing out a fantasy?
I prefer to live in a free country where crimes are only punishied when they are actually commted
I am not convinced that this was ever a serious threat any more than what Josiah Leach did
In fact I see this as less serious as he never actually threatned anyone. He indicated to a close friend that he had THOUGH about acting out what I feel is a fantasy
I dont want to live in a police state where thoughts about crimes or even stories about them are to be treated as actual crimes. A police state where everyone is afraid to say anything for fear of being arrested over virtually anything
As one has, as you call it, freedom to think, you should occasionally use it, sir. Amendment of the Constitution was written into the document itself. Amend the Second Amendment, or have the blood of even more innocents on your hands, FreedonToDink.
Again Snow Creek I will reference the article “a young woman who lived in the area had received disturbing social media messages from Sawyer. One message said, in part, “Just a few days ago I was plotting on shooting up my old high school so it’s not like I really wanted a future anyways.” That is not just teenage angst. Yes sometimes cops lie but I’m not going to automatically assume they are. The journal was not kept in his room it was in his car with his gun. I agree that it’s a slippery slope when actions haven’t occurred but it sounds like a lot of solid evidence against him and the legal system will decide regardless of what we think. I’m just glad those responsible citizens reported his behavior and we’re not mourning the needless deaths of more children.
Shannon- Have you ever read the novel ‘Carrie’?
thats the level of threat this young man posed.
He allegedly admitted his plan- officers frequently lie.
even if he said what he allegedly said- its the context it was said in that matters
Regardless- In court he has denied the allegations.
I will let the legal process determine his level of guilt
What he was caught with was a story he had wrote but never acted our or even threatned to act out
He told a few of his friends of previous thoughts he had never acted on.
this is very commen as kids- who has not said they would “kill” someone after a fight or what not as a kid?
as kids its not meant literally- its meant to show anger
lets not ruin this kids life over what amounts to a story
A story he kept in his room
What you people want is a police state where thoughts are outlawed and mob justice is warrented.
thats not what America was founded on
timothy price says “The direction that would be most effective would be to introduce gun courses in schools, training in gun laws, gun safety, and good habits of gun ownership. ” That worked really well in Florida. Cruz was in the gun club in the school, sponsored by the NRA, with NRA trainers. He was known as a good shot. So yeah, I guess his training was effective. Thanks NRA. Great job. Timothy, maybe you should read some news from real sources instead of your Facebook feed.
FreedomToThink? Is that one of those ironic names, like calling a fat guy “Tiny”? Not to disparage you. Certainly you have the freedom to share your thoughts.
Roger Hill
What an absolute disgrace!
Rights are “granted” to slaves, by kings, nobility and monarchy. Free men/women have their rights inherent as a matter of birth. Have you ever studied American history even one day of your life? Have you ever read The Bill of Rights under which we live? If you love the Australian systems so much, please, by all means move there, go live on your knees.
John Gallagher
How about the slaughter or tens of thousands of colonist that fought and died to secured those and other rights for us and then wrote the constitution to insure we didnt loose them again. I guess they mean nothing to you? Their legacy must be dead in the small capacity of your mind. They realized the need for the second amendment as we would continue to need to secure those rights for ourselves every single day going forward. We have a responsibility to not just throw away way what they gave us.
I will not trade liberty for security. “Were doing this to keep you safe” has been the mantra of every step toward tyranny our government has made. If you wish to be the safe little subject of an oppressive government, there are plenty to choose from out there, pack your bags buddy, go be a slave to other men. Im not going to just turn over my liberty and that of my children, because some sniveling little coward wants other people to keep him safe. My safety is my own responsibility, not the governments.
We allow teachers to mold the minds of our youth, why not allow them to protect them as well. How many teachers in a given school already own and are familiar with guns? Several I bet & after taking a state certification class of some kind, they could be allowed to defend our children & themselves, if they so choose. Look at Assistant Coach Feis who died in that tragic shooting the other day, he was not only a coach but also a security guard. Had he been allowed to carry his weapon on school grounds he might have been able to stop the carnage of so many and saved himself. He should have been armed and if the murderer had known he would be faced with deadly force on that campus, maybe he would have thought twice about that particular “soft target”.