Guns, Tears, Tragedy and Change
Steve Kovacs
June 19, 2007
The Rock was patrolling the well-to-do neighborhood, which bordered a high crime area in the major midwestern city. The veteran policeman felt relaxed as he drove through the beautiful tree lined streets that were home to some of the grandest houses in the country. His relaxation ended quickly when Dispatch cracked out a call of a possible home invasion right around the corner. Patrolman Thomas Rakoczy was only seconds away. He was known as the Rock because he was as hard, strong and tough as one. He was the kind of cop you wanted at your home if you needed serious help.
The Rock arrived at the home and began to evaluate the scene as he walked toward the door. He entered the house and soon found two adults and two teenage girls tied up. Other officers also arrived and no one else was found in the house. Rakoczy began untying the family, starting with the man first. As he was untying him the disheveled middle-aged man hurriedly spouted out what had happened. Four men had broken down the front door (in broad daylight) and started up the long staircase leading to him and his family.
He said he saw the men coming up the stairs with guns in hand but he couldn’t do anything to stop them. So he quickly gathered his family and locked them in the master bedroom. He said they found them hiding there in less than a minute.
As he continued, he started to cry and told how they all were immediately tied up. Then they started leisurely burglarizing the home, seemingly in no hurry whatsoever. After they bagged-up everything they deemed worthwhile, things really got bad.
They took turns raping both daughters in front of him and his wife. The man was beside himself as he told what had happened. The Rock told me the mother was so bad off she was almost totally incoherent. She hadn’t been physically touched, but she witnessed what happened to her daughters.
The father kept repeating that he just couldn’t do anything to help them. Nervously he asked, “Officer, please tell me, if I would have had a gun do you think I could have helped my family”? Rakoczy didn’t want to render his opinion at such an emotional time, but the man pushed him. “I want the truth, could I have helped”? After more and more prodding, the Rock finally told him that if he would have had a gun he might have at least been able to scare them away by firing a shot at them. “They may have turned or ran away instead of trying to fight—gun-to gun” the Rock said. He also told him that with a gun he could have made a powerful stand in the bedroom as they were breaking down the door.
Thankfully, the four criminals were caught a few weeks later and sentenced to around 15 years in prison. Later, the father told Rakoczy that all through his life he was against guns and thought they were a terrible problem in our society. However, after what he and his family went through and after a lot of soul searching and thought, he had changed his mind. He said he now understood the need and availability for the best protection available for people, which are firearms. He eventually bought a gun, received training and said he was ready to protect himself and others if need be, for the rest of his life.
There are of course horror stories on the other side of the gun controversy. Ones such as children gaining access to unsecured firearms and accidentally injuring or killing others or themselves. And of course there are the stories of troubled individuals using firearms to cause mass casualties and deaths in public places. However, there are the very real stories of people protecting themselves with firearms against burglars, rapists and other predators. There’s no doubt firearms are the best self-defense tool available for the private citizen. However, and this is a big however, firearms come with many different levels of serious responsibility.
The father who changed his views on firearms shows us there is more than one side to an issue, which may change as time, circumstances, knowledge and experiences evolve. This story can help us understand, that all of us, no matter what are feelings are on this controversial subject, should step back and listen to those with differing views with dignity and respect. All differing people have viable thoughts and ideas and should be reasonably listened to. Whether it’s the hugely important issue of how mentally unstable individuals can be weeded out from owning firearms to the many other issues people differ on. Respect and true empathy for others views are the cornerstones to building workable solutions for all.
The Rock arrived at the home and began to evaluate the scene as he walked toward the door. He entered the house and soon found two adults and two teenage girls tied up. Other officers also arrived and no one else was found in the house. Rakoczy began untying the family, starting with the man first. As he was untying him the disheveled middle-aged man hurriedly spouted out what had happened. Four men had broken down the front door (in broad daylight) and started up the long staircase leading to him and his family.
He said he saw the men coming up the stairs with guns in hand but he couldn’t do anything to stop them. So he quickly gathered his family and locked them in the master bedroom. He said they found them hiding there in less than a minute.
As he continued, he started to cry and told how they all were immediately tied up. Then they started leisurely burglarizing the home, seemingly in no hurry whatsoever. After they bagged-up everything they deemed worthwhile, things really got bad.
They took turns raping both daughters in front of him and his wife. The man was beside himself as he told what had happened. The Rock told me the mother was so bad off she was almost totally incoherent. She hadn’t been physically touched, but she witnessed what happened to her daughters.
The father kept repeating that he just couldn’t do anything to help them. Nervously he asked, “Officer, please tell me, if I would have had a gun do you think I could have helped my family”? Rakoczy didn’t want to render his opinion at such an emotional time, but the man pushed him. “I want the truth, could I have helped”? After more and more prodding, the Rock finally told him that if he would have had a gun he might have at least been able to scare them away by firing a shot at them. “They may have turned or ran away instead of trying to fight—gun-to gun” the Rock said. He also told him that with a gun he could have made a powerful stand in the bedroom as they were breaking down the door.
Thankfully, the four criminals were caught a few weeks later and sentenced to around 15 years in prison. Later, the father told Rakoczy that all through his life he was against guns and thought they were a terrible problem in our society. However, after what he and his family went through and after a lot of soul searching and thought, he had changed his mind. He said he now understood the need and availability for the best protection available for people, which are firearms. He eventually bought a gun, received training and said he was ready to protect himself and others if need be, for the rest of his life.
There are of course horror stories on the other side of the gun controversy. Ones such as children gaining access to unsecured firearms and accidentally injuring or killing others or themselves. And of course there are the stories of troubled individuals using firearms to cause mass casualties and deaths in public places. However, there are the very real stories of people protecting themselves with firearms against burglars, rapists and other predators. There’s no doubt firearms are the best self-defense tool available for the private citizen. However, and this is a big however, firearms come with many different levels of serious responsibility.
The father who changed his views on firearms shows us there is more than one side to an issue, which may change as time, circumstances, knowledge and experiences evolve. This story can help us understand, that all of us, no matter what are feelings are on this controversial subject, should step back and listen to those with differing views with dignity and respect. All differing people have viable thoughts and ideas and should be reasonably listened to. Whether it’s the hugely important issue of how mentally unstable individuals can be weeded out from owning firearms to the many other issues people differ on. Respect and true empathy for others views are the cornerstones to building workable solutions for all.
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