Cops and Robbers

Cops and Robbers

It was a sunny spring afternoon in Phoenix. I had just run my first 5K race. This small accomplishment gave me a tremendous sense of satisfaction... so I thought, “what better else to do than to take a nap.” This would not come as a surprise to any of my close friends or family.

That afternoon, I woke from my nap to look out the window and find a child lying in the middle of the street. “What the hell?” is all I could think, as I tried to shake any remaining cobwebs from my brief nap.

I called to my wife. I wanted her support; we both stormed outside. Hiding in the bushes were my 9-year-old son and another neighborhood friend, both with toy guns. I asked the third boy, my son’s close friend, why he was laying in the middle of the street. “I was hit! ” he said. “It was part of the game.”

I had just awoken from a nap, but found myself wishing that I were still dreaming. As a child, I also had toy guns and ran around the neighborhood playing all sorts of games. We had metal cap guns that made sounds to mimic actual gunfire. The idea of a child playing with a toy gun never really seemed dangerous to me- until I became a parent.

My son knew that he was not allowed to play with toy guns in the middle of the street. He knew that he was not allowed to run around the neighborhood with toy guns. He knew that I did not like it when he played this game of “cops and robbers.” In fact we don’t allow toy guns in our house at all. I asked my wife to back me up on this. Was I out of line? Had I lost my sense of perspective? Was just I being overprotective?

It was obvious to me why I felt so strongly about the matter. I had never gotten over the 2014 murder of Tamir Rice. Tamir was 12-year-old African American boy who was playing with a toy gun at a park when police officers were called. The boy was killed within seconds of police arrival on the scene. There was no indictment... no justice after this boy’s life was taken.

Based on my own experiences, I understood how easily unwarranted calls to police were made. As a Harvard Medical student in Vanderbilt Hall, three police officers were summoned to my dorm room - all because I fell asleep with my stereo on. I remember wondering why someone hadn’t just knocked on my door and asked me to turn down the music. Ultimately I made it through my younger years. Now as a parent, it was my job to ensure that my son would make it as well.

In this day, there is a lot of discussion about gun violence and gun control. To be honest I’m afraid, but not just of real guns. I’ve come to understand that even toy guns can be deadly. I’m concerned whenever my son runs out the door with his friends. Even with toy guns blazing, I can’t accept this game of “cops and robbers.” It seems since the murder of Tamir Rice, I’ve been broken. Games just don’t feel safe anymore.