Armed citizen apprehends rapist after he victimizes 84-year old woman

Gun ban extremists want us to believe that crimes are never thwarted; that the presence of firearms in the hands of law-abiding citizens will make bad situations worse; that vigilante justice will be meeted out if a criminal is ever apprehended by an armed citizen in an emotionally charged situation. Why should their lies continue to be put in print or taken into account?

April 27, 2004
WKYC.com NBC Ch. 3

84-year-old woman raped in her home, neighbors capture suspect

CLEVELAND -- An 84-year old woman was attacked and raped in her home on Cleveland's near west side Tuesday.

The suspect is already behind bars thanks to the victim's neighbors, who risked their lives to apprehend him.

"Most of the crowd that was chasing him was all women, I was surprised," said one witness.

Women like 75-year-old Ester Matlak and her daughter.

"The worst part of it is the guy, the man, had lived in this neighborhood," said Matlak.

"And for someone to do this to her, sick, it's just sick," said neighbor Aretta Schreman.

The victim's daughter caught the suspect red handed and came running into the street.

She screamed, "he's raping my mother, he's raping my mother."

That's when all the women from the nearby houses came running out.

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"I seen the daughter out here screaming and I was yelling, yelling, yelling and me and him fought all the way around the alley," said neighbor Lois Rodgers. "I kept trying to stop him and he kept trying to run."

"And to do something to Millie like that, she's a good hearted person, good hearted," said neighbor Kathy Oberst.

"Cause I wish I could have got him, I really do, we all could have got him right here all the neighbors, all the women," said neighbor Maryellen Trost.

The women had the 27-year-old suspect cornered in a nearby alley when neighbor Art Ledger came running outside with a handgun.

"And I had it right on his forehead and said you stay right here. Then the police department arrived," said neighbor Art Ledger.

"I just wish they would have dragged him out of the cop car and did him in right there, but you know what, that would be too good for him, I hope he gets the maximum sentence," said Michael Hudak, the victim's grandson.

And thanks to the bravery of the victims' neighbors, justice will be done.

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