Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, October 31, 1994 TAG: 9411150016
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
On Saturday, they chose gallantry.
Francisco Martin Duran had just fired bursts at the White House from his Chinese semiautomatic and was fumbling with the gun, possibly trying to reload as tourists tried to escape.
Adrenalin surged through their bodies as the security specialist (Rakosky) and the corrections officer-in-training (Davis) hurled themselves toward the gunman. Although they sprang from different concrete barriers, and acted on their individual whims without coordination, they were a team. Rakosky hit him high and Davis hit him low.
``He was concentrating on his weapon and started putting in another magazine and I thought that would be a good time to take him out,'' Rakosky, 34, said Sunday.
``I think the Lord had me at the right place at the right time.''
The right place was the Pennsylvania Avenue sidewalk outside the metal White House gate, an area surrounded by concrete barriers that would stop a car bomber. The right time was about 3 on a gorgeous afternoon, when Davis was taking pictures of the presidential mansion and Rakosky was just walking by.
By fortunate coincidence, Davis, 24, was actually trained to handle such situations.
On Nov. 16, the Hagerstown, Md., resident will graduate from his training course and become a Maryland correctional officer, serving at a maximum-security facility.
``I was not afraid. Everything moved in slow motion,'' Davis said Sunday.
Rakosky works for a private security firm in San Antonio and has been a private guard for embassies that were under construction.
Davis said he noticed a commotion about 8 to 10 feet away, then saw a man pull a rifle out of his trench coat.
``I stood there facing him. I was dumbfounded. I thought, what could be done about this?
``He pointed the gun at me, holding it at waist level. I just kind of froze. I backed up into Pennsylvania Avenue. He turned back toward the White House and resumed firing. Then he kept firing as he was walking.
``He dropped a clip and was trying to get another one loaded. He was fumbling with it. He was nervous. I started running towards his back.
``Harry hit him high, in the back. I grabbed his legs as he went down. He kicked a tiny bit and stopped.''
Rakosky said he crouched behind a concrete barricade and ``waited for an opportunity to deck him. I thought it wouldn't do me any good to go after him when he had the gun pointed my way.
``At first, I thought it was firecrackers. The whole mass of people turned around toward me. ... Then I saw him walking quickly my way. He was starting to concentrate on his weapon. I saw him trying to unjam it or reload it. I thought, it's now or never.''
by CNB