why did their child have an indistinguishable replica of a real gun? why did the parents think it was smart?
Vocational training?
An appropriate investigation would determine how he had that non-lethal weapon, with its distinguishing marks removed, and if anyone encouraged him to pretend he was shooting people with it.
What isn't being spoken about in the media is what happened on the east side of Cleveland the day before. At one location, five people including two teenagers and a pregnant mother were shot to death. At another location, two young men were found shot to death. The Cleveland police feared they had a serial killer on the loose, and they encounter a 12 year old who looked older than that aiming a real-enough looking non-lethal gun at strangers. Mass murders are uncommon here, and Cleveland's homicides normally are under 100 a year.
What if it had been a serial killer, bringing his evil to Cleveland's diverse west side? All *ell would've broken loose if that happened. It isn't locals who are totally blaming the police. Locals want to get these faux weapons out of the hands of kids who misuse them, and educate them on the dangers. The other call is for police to have body cams. If this thing explodes it will be outside agitation and a black police chief unwilling to speak up against those inciting riot. JMHO
Because you can’t run around scaring people with a Nerf gun.