BY STETSON UNIVERSITY JOURNALISM CLASS
JaeLynda Rios, Hayley Schropfer, Sethunya Mills, Zoey Ritchie, DeJuan Mitchum
A 44-year-old drove in a black Honda Civic up to 204 Fraternity Circle House D and discharged what looked to be a pellet or airsoft gun. Several fraternity brothers got video of the incident, according to Stetson University and the DeLand Police Department.
Students were alerted Monday, Oct. 28, by an email sent to students, faculty and staff.
The email stated that no students were injured and there was no damage found.
“Some students recorded the incident on video and said the man got back in his car and drove away quickly without talking to anyone,” the email reads.
According to the charging affidavit, the video showed a man walking to a car while allegedly holding a firearm. One fraternity brother said the suspect “looked frustrated.”
According to DeLand Police, they investigated and tracked Steven Batista of DeLand, by license plate number captured on the footage shot by a fraternity brother.
Police said that shortly after the frat incident, Batista traveled to Warrior Defense Brazilian Jiu Jitsu located at 815 W. New York Ave. in DeLand, where he was seen on the gym’s security camera footage aiming and firing what appeared to be a large handgun toward the ground, which target was later revealed to be a sign for a 5K marathon.
Batista was located at his residence in DeLand.
Police asked him if he was involved with the two incidents and he confessed to being at Stetson with a ”Co2-powered pepper ball gun” and using his “legal” weapon shooting it at an “X” mark on a basketball hoop backboard in front of the frat house, according to the charging affidavit.
Batista stated “that the Holy Spirit wanted him to get rid of symbols that may be harmful to children and other people that could see them.”
Batista didn’t have an explanation for firing at a 5K marathon sign located near the ground in front of the gym.
Several other business owners said Batista entered their businesses and asked “weird” questions, according to the charging affidavit.
Batista has previously been arrested in Volusia County twice before. In a 2016 incident, Batista drank a bottle of water that cost $.99 in a local 7-Eleven store, and when advised to pay, he “patted his pockets, threw his hands up, and exited the store,” according to DeLand Police Department. The 7-Eleven employee said Batista “did not seem right.” He was charged with petit theft.
In 2018, Batista was arrested for loitering and prowling in the Volusia Mall and the Fairfield Inn in Daytona Beach. In the mall, Batista allegedly asked a retail store employee if she “was scared [of shootings].” He was later located at the inn asking a housekeeper if she was scared of shootings, according to the charging affidavit, and he said he needed to protect her with his life.
An empty bottle of schizophrenia medication was found in his car in that incident. He was released after nine days in jail.
In the latest incident, Batista was charged with two felonies: shooting a missile into a dwelling and discharging a weapon on school property, and two misdemeanors: disturbing/interfering with school functions, and breach of peace.
Batista is being held at the Volusia County Branch Jail with no bond.
Both Stetson University and the owner of Warrior Defense Jiu-Jitsu asked for Batista to be trespassed from their properties.
Batista says the pepper-ball gun used on the Stetson University campus was legally purchased at a Daytona Beach flea market the day before, though he does not remember the exact time this occurred.
Another recent incident involving pellet weapons was the arrest of an 11-year-old boy for making written statements to kill. After his arrest, multiple airsoft weapons were found in his home.
In Florida, there are no restrictions for adults on BB guns or air- or gas-operated weapons. Children are allowed to use them with adult supervision.
