An 84-year-old man in Kansas City, Missouri was charged Monday with first-degree assault for shooting Ralph Yarl, 16, who mistakenly went to the man's home to pick up his younger brothers.
Prosecuting Attorney Zachary Thompson said at a news conference that there was a"racial component" Thursday night when Andrew Lester twice shot 16-year-old Ralph Yarl, who is recovering at home after being released from the hospital. But nothing in the charging documents says the shooting was racially motivated, Thompson clarified.
Yarl, an honor student and all-state band member, was supposed to pick up his two younger brothers when he approached the wrong house at roughly 10 p.m. Lester came to the door and shot Yarl in the forehead -- then shot him again, in the right forearm. Rev. Vernon Howard, president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Greater Kansas City, called the shooting a"heinous and hate-filled crime." Vice President Kamala Harris wrote on Twitter that"No child should ever live in fear of being shot for ringing the wrong doorbell." The Missouri Senate held a moment of silence for Yarl on Monday.
Missouri is among roughly 30 states with"Stand Your Ground" laws, which allow for the use of deadly force in self-defense, but the prosecutor determined the shooting was not in self defense.Lester told police that he lives alone and had just gone to bed when he heard his doorbell, according to the probable cause statement. He said he picked up his gun and went to the door, where he saw a Black male pulling on the exterior storm door handle and thought someone was breaking in.
Police Chief Stacey Graves said that Yarl's parents asked him to pick up his brothers at a home on 115th Terrace, but he mistakenly went to 115th Street, the Kansas City Star reported. Crump, who has represented families in several high-profile case of Black people being shot, including those of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, questioned why the shooter wasn't arrested and charged immediately.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Man Charged in Shooting of Unarmed Black Teen Ralph YarlAndrew Lester, an 85-year-old white man, has been charged with armed assault after shooting the teen when he went to the wrong house
Read more »
Man charged in front-door shooting of Black teen Ralph YarlAn 84-year-old white man who shot a Black teen that approached the wrong house in Kansas City, Missouri, while trying to pick up his siblings has been charged with first-degree assault.
Read more »
Man charged in front-door shooting of Black teen Ralph YarlAn 84-year-old white man in Kansas City, Missouri was charged Monday with first-degree assault for shooting a Black teen who mistakenly went to the man’s home to pick up his younger brothers
Read more »
Ralph Yarl’s lawyers blast the release of shooter after 24 hoursHundreds of people gathered Sunday to seek justice for Ralph Yarl, a black Missouri boy who was shot in the head after he rang the wrong doorbell while trying to pick up his twin brothers.
Read more »
What We Know About the Shooting of Ralph YarlOn Thursday, a Black teenager was shot in Kansas City, Missouri, after accidentally going to the wrong house to pick up his younger siblings. Although police did not name the victim, his relatives identified him as 16-year-old Ralph Yarl
Read more »
What we know about the shooting of Ralph YarlA white man in Kansas City, Mo., shot a Black teenager who mistakenly rang the doorbell at the wrong house to pick up his siblings, the teen’s attorneys say. Here's what we know so far.
Read more »