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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“I see now you are asserting the journal was only a harmless work of fiction and no grounds for an arrest.”
Actually my stance has been quite clear to anyone willing to read what I wrote from my very first post on this article.
If you are only now seeing this then you likely did not read any of my previous comments
And there is no evidence to substantiate that this young mans journal was ever going to rise above what it did- a harmless story. what the state is claiming it has is circumstantial evidence of a crime without any crime being actually commited- a highly debatable accusation that I do not feel will hold up in court
The young man never actually threatened anyone- Unlike Josiah Leach
Whom I might remind you was let off on probation AGAIN the day before this after violating his terms of release several times.
If the state was so concerned about keeping us safe rather than staging a political show- then why is Mr. Leach still free why Mr. Saywer is incarcerated?
SnowCeek, it was not entirely clear from your words whether you were likening the Fair Haven student’s journal to an event in the plot of Carrie, or to the writing of a piece of fiction, using Carrie as an example of fiction. (Just FYI, Spoiler Alert: Carrie does, in fact, entirely destroy the high school during the prom.)
I see now you are asserting the journal was only a harmless work of fiction and no grounds for an arrest. My points are (a) King himself did not find his own writings about HS violence to be harmless, so your choice of King does not support your argument well; and (b) he was not arrested solely on the basis of his writings. There was much additional evidence that indicated the journal was not simply a creative writing exercise, but an actual study and plan for a school attack.
” Carrie never writes out a revenge plan in a journal — she enacts revenge on school bullies spontaneously through powers of telekinesis, and burns down the town. “
‘Carrie’ is a manifestation of Stephen Kings mind- not a real person. ‘carrie’ indeed never did write a journal- nor did she ever attack a school….You seem to be confusing fiction with reality. Much like the Police in Fair Haven. You also seem to be unable to grasp the simple concept I laid out over several posts- that fictional works do not rise to the level of actual crimes. If you cant understand that basic premise than its pointless trying to delve into the deeper complexities of thoughts being criminalized.
SnowCreek, Why do you keep referring to Stephen King’s ‘Carrie,’ which it seems you have never read. Carrie never writes out a revenge plan in a journal — she enacts revenge on school bullies spontaneously through powers of telekinesis, and burns down the town. She had no gun. Also, Carrie was a work of fiction, not a “To-Do” list.
Are you thinking of the King novel ‘Rage,’ published in 1977? That novel was, in fact, cited as inspiration by school shooters in 1988, and onward. King was so horrified that he took the novel out of publication, and it will forever remain out of print. That is a mature and appropriate response.
It was not the Fair Haven student’s written plan alone that caused law enforcement to act. It was his words, hisory, behavior and own admissions that led to a credible threat.
As a Democrat and Phil Scott supporter, I would like Phil to know that I was worried after reading his initial response in yesterdays article, I would have to reconsider supporting him. But today I am heartened to know, when it comes to protecting our children, Phil will be flexible and willing to adapt his views to get the problem solved. Good job Governor!
There will always be the unstable youth in every state, every school, every town and mental illness shows up and gets worse if untreated about this age for the most part….and sometimes go undetected because families and affected individuals are in denial. As a teacher of 24 years, I feel the schools should play a better part in the identification of “such unstable individuals who are acting out and need psychological assistance”, so we don’t keep seeing these sad mascaras. Teachers see the students every day, and know their character/demeanor – Why can’t we make a difference, by alerting a NEW special TASKFORCE for HOMEGROWN TERRORISTS, if the FBI is too busy to act on such reports. It can make a difference by saving lives in our future generation.
As for the gun laws, we all know some states are looser than others about purchasing a gun. People also purchase at garage/ tag sales, get them handed down from inheritance and can literally make a gun because of the parts for sale on the internet. Anyone who wants to get their hands on a gun, will. Moving forward, thank you Gov Scott for rethinking your move on the VERMONT gun laws.
Require a prospective firearms purchaser to submit to a mental health exam.
So he is a teenager with a documented past struggle with depression who got a shotgun to target shoot, went target shooting, and had fantasies about getting revenge on society- he even wrote down some of his delusions in a story- Like the novel ‘carrie’
After being harrassed by the police for legallly owning a gun he made a poor choice and spilled the beans about his delusional plan he had fantasized about. A plan not grounded in reality and not carried out- literally just a fantasy.
what he allegedly did was exactly like what Josiah Leach actually did- threaten people without a realistic plan
Yet this young man is facing several severe charges including attempted murder
Josiah Leach pleaded guilty to charges of threatning. He never faced the severe charges this young man did despite actually naming his intended victims in an online statement he published
Both of these young men had very similar backgrounds and motivations. Nearly exact. Yet one is being charged excessevly with attempted murder, attempted aggravated assault etc, and one has repeatedly been allowed to stay on probation despite him violating said terms multiple times.
this whole deal is about taking political advantage of troubled times and they are using this poor kids as their means of doing it. They are literally trying to advance their careers by ruining this kids life over non existent crimes.
that is shameful on many levels. Perhaps even racist as well.
@rogerhill “Would this really hurt gun owners”
I would only add, that your comment should read: would it really hurt “potential” gun owners, as it would not make any sense to create retroactive legislation. On top of it being nearly impossible to enforce, you would get way more push back from the “they took our guns” camp.
It is sick and evil that anyone is forcing children through mass shooter drilling in schools. Every republican bought by the NRA is an accomplice to the gunmen who murdered our children. Buying republicans is good for business, it only cost gun manufacturers a few hundred million and they’ve made hundreds of billions. What a great ROI for the NRA.
Forcing kids to hide under desks in case of nuclear attack is something we mock because of how plainly stupid and useless it was. Forcing kids to hide under a desk in case someone with an AR-15 assault rifle starts firing at them is plainly stupid and useless.
Voting for pro-slaughter republicans and valuing gun rights over our children’s lives is evil and inhuman. If you value a gun more than a child’s right to live in peace and safety, what kind of person are you? What in the name of all that’s holy is wrong with everyone?
The second amendment wasn’t meant to torment our kids so civilians can equip themselves with military arsenals. The NRA’s time has finally come. Their parents may vote for republicans but our children are sick of being slaughtered in school. They’re sick of being terrorized. They are growing up and they will vote. And they will never vote for a NRA-purchased pro-slaughter republican political tool of gun manufacturers. And the majority of Americans will despise republican voters who worship guns over the safety of our children.