A popular Vermont high school teacher has been placed on leave after surrendering a Bushmaster semi-automatic rifle to police who became “alarmed” over his angry rants about his job.
Steven Davis was briefly hospitalized this week for a mental health evaluation on the recommendation of Bennington police. By Saturday, Davis had been discharged from Southwestern Vermont Medical Center, a hospital official told the Daily News. She would not provide any other information.
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Davis voluntarily surrendered the Bushmaster AR-15, the same rifle used in the Newtown, Conn. massacre, as well as two high-capacity magazines on Monday, said Bennington Police Chief Paul Doucette. Police later seized about 500 rounds of ammunition during a search of Davis’ home.
Alarmed neighbors called police when they saw Davis walking to his car with the rifle.
Described as as a well-liked math and science teacher at Mount Anthony Union High School, Davis had recently become disgruntled with his job, posting a series of videos to YouTube in which he criticized the school’s administration and union.
In one video, said he had plans for retribution.
“This is all planned and very well thought out … I’ve studied military tactics and this is the way to go. It’s all going to hit so hard, so fast and shut that school system down til they get things straight.”
He did not give any details of the plan.
In his most recent video post, Davis was seated in a hospital bed. “I think the school system is sick and needs to be healed,” he told viewers, according to WNYT. That video has since been pulled from YouTube.
Davis had also sent out a series of concerning emails to fellow teachers and school officials.
During an interview with police, Davis “started going on about reading CIA manuals and he talked about looking into military training and things like that, I became alarmed,” said Doucette.
“My staff became even more alarmed and we became concerned about the safety of the teachers at the school and the safety of the community,” he said.
Davis told police he had never shot the Bushmaster, which he purchased in 2009. Police said the gun does not appear to have ever been fired.
His wife and children have gone to stay with a relative and she has since sought a restraining order, the Bennington Banner reported.
Davis was on administrative leave by the school district from his teaching position.
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