Akron Man Carrying Rifle Sparks Conversation About Guns

Story first reported on WAKR.net.

Daniel Kovacevic, the man who’s been walking around Akron with a rifle on his back, and more than a dozen of gun-activists held a gun rally Sunday to have a conversation about the second amendment and their right to bear arms.

“This is the first time that I’ve ever done an advocate march,” Kovacevic said. “I’m here because I believe that if each side knows some more about each other; it will be a positive thing. That’s what I want. I want this to be positive.”

Kovacevic caused an uproar when he was seen in Akron Monday carrying an assault rifle on his back. Kovacevic and the more than a dozen gun-activists walked from High Street down to Deone Slater’s Kangaroo Kutz barbershop across from Infocision stadium on E. Exchange Street.

Kovacevic said he did not know he would gain this amount of attention nor did he anticipate upsetting anyone.

“I knew that taking the rifle with me would cause more concern than just having the pistol,” Kovacevic said. “I had no idea that it would provoke so much raw emotion.”

Deone Slater confronted Kovacevic about him carrying his rifle around the city and in the vicinity of his business. Slater and Kovacevic’s encounter was caught on video and has been shared on social media over thousands of times and has nearly a million views.

Slater spoke to Daniel Kovacevic and other gun-activists touting their rifles on the walk (with their gun licenses) about why he has a problem with people carrying rifles around the community of Akron. Slater said he’s for people exercising their second amendment right, but with high-profiled shootings across the country, he said it’s unnecessary to carry a rifle and cause panic.

“I don’t care about [Kovacevic] carrying a gun,” Slater said. “I’m for carrying guns. You don’t need a big gun that will shoot the moon out of the sky. We don’t need that.”

Jeff Asberry has had his gun license since 2008 and joined the rally to support not only Kovacevic, but also every gun owner. He said the rally has been a success because people are having a substantive conversation about guns.

“Everybody is talking and laughing and having a good time,” Asberry said. “Things were a little contentious it seemed like at the very beginning, but once we actually met each other and started talking, it seems like everybody is getting along rather well.”

Criminals will always be able to get a hold of a gun, he said. For that very reason, he got his gun license to protect himself and his family.

Slater said his exchange with Kovacevic had nothing to do with race. He said he would have stopped anybody walking down the street with a gun as big as the one Kovacevic had on his back.

“I don’t have a problem with color,” Slater said. “I got a problem with somebody that is bringing raucous to the community.”

Kovacevic says it will be up to him to decide if he wants to stop openly carrying the rifle on his back.

At the end of the rally, Slater and the group of activists were able to shake hands and felt that it was a conversation that needed to be had.