What do we find out about Rashad's father? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.

David, Rashad's father, is ex-military and also a retired police officer. David commonly forces his opinions on his son, and makes him join the ROTC club because he feels "there's no better opportunity for a black boy in this country than to join the army" (6). Throughout the novel there is friction between him and both his sons. David does not immediately believe Rashad when he tells him he did not resist arrest, revealing his trust in the justice system might be slightly too high. David believes that the whole situation could have been avoided if Rashad would not have worn baggy clothes.

However, as it is later revealed, the reason Rashad's father was hesitant to believe his son was because he was in a similar situation as an officer. He was forced to make a split second decision when a black boy reached into his bag, and he chose to shoot him in defense. He eventually removed himself from the force because he felt he was starting to look for a certain criminal profile that closely resembled his children.