A Nashville family has been shaken up after high school freshman was robbed on his way home from school on a route he takes every day.
The family of 14-year-old Ricky Easley said they now want a stronger police presence in the area.
Easley was on his way home from football practice when he said three men pulled up, got out and demanded his backpack, shoes and cell phone.
"I just let them have the stuff," Easley said. "My life is more important than that."
He said after the suspects sped off, he ran home to his aunt's house.
"It was scary because they could have done anything to him. They could have killed him," said mom Mary Easley.
She immediately made new plans to get Ricky to his aunt's house after school.
"I talked to his coach. From now on, when he gets out of practice the coach will be dropping him off," she said.
Ricky's aunt said she doesn't let any of the kids play outside without her.
"Can't nobody replace one of my kids," said aunt Janice Easley.
She said crime in their northeast Nashville neighborhood has become a huge problem. Officials with the Metro Nashville Police Department said they have responded to calls just on that block 118 times in the past year.
"Me and my kids, we go downstairs in my room. We hit the floor every time we hear gunshots," Janice Easley said.
Ricky said he was robbed one street away from home on Greggwood. That's the same street where 15-year-old Row'Neshia Overton was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting last year. Police said the shooting stemmed from a fight between teenage girls.
Now Ricky's family said they want a bigger police presence in the area.
"They need to patrol more and do their job and find who's doing these crimes and lock 'em up," Mary Easley said.
They said they just want to make sure their kids feel secure in their own neighborhood.
"I don't feel safe right now," Ricky said.
Officials with Metro Police said the head of each precinct meets weekly with command to discuss where the crime is happening in their area and to re-direct patrols accordingly.
They said the North Precinct Commander was aware of the robbery involving Easley and has FLEX patrol officers they can assign to this and other areas with a high crime rate.
Crimes reported on their block include burglaries, thefts, stabbings, domestic disturbances and several calls asking for an officer to help with an investigation.
