An 85-year-old white homeowner allegedly shot a young black teenager for accidentally ringing his doorbell
An ordinary day of picking up his younger brothers became a life-threatening situation for Ralph Yarl. Yarl is a 16-year-old young man and was on his way to pick up his younger twin brothers from 115th Street. However, he mistook 115th Terrace for 115th Street and rang the doorbell. As such, Ralph was greeted with a bullet to the head and arm.
The homeowner, Andrew Lester, an 85-year-old man, claims that he thought Yarl was an intruder breaking in. He thought he would not be unable to defend himself against his size and build. Lester grabbed a handgun and shot through the exterior door twice after opening the main door. After firing the shots, he seemed to express concern for Yarl.
Lester is facing charges of two felonies in the shooting of a black teenager. The charges include first-degree assault and armed criminal activity. Clay County prosecutor Zachary Thompson states that there is a racial component to the shooting without providing further details.
Ralph Yarl’s Present Condition
Recalling the incident, Ralph said that he waited a while for the homeowner to open the door. Upon the door opening, he was greeted by a firearm and promptly shot in the head. Another shot was fired as well.
The bullets struck Ralph across his left forehead and right arm. Medical officials stated that while Ralph is not out of danger, he is stable. There are chances for a full recovery since he is young and healthy.
Ralph is struggling due to the incident, and his mental recovery will take time. His family has expressed concern over this in the GoFundMe post set up for donations for medical expenses.
Ralph is a talented musician and the leader of a marching band. He is an excellent student with a stellar GPA.
Public Outrage over the incident
Ralph Yarl’s attorney, Crump, expresses shock over not immediately arresting the shooter after the incident. He states that if the roles were reversed and a black man had shot a white teenager for accidentally ringing his doorbell, he would be arrested. The homeowner shot a young black man and went back to bed.
The weekend community rally saw protests with slogans such as “Black Lives Matter,” “Justice for Ralph,” “Ringing a doorbell isn’t a crime,” etc. After Lester’s release, demonstrators gathered on Monday with slogans like “Black lives are under attack” and “Stand up, fight back.”
The shooting of Ralph Yarl was another addition to the list of black victims of hate crimes and shootings. This incident is calling attention to gun control and law reforms, as well as the safety of black citizens in the United States of America.
White House’s response
The Yarl family has received communication and support from the White House. Vice President Kamala Harris tweeted that no child should live in fear of accidentally ringing the wrong doorbell. Harris, who is biracial, supports peaceful protests and demonstrations urging racial equality.
According to a senior administration official, President Biden is said to have spoken privately with Ralph Yarl.
Quinton Lucas, the mayor of Kansas City, has also tweeted in support of the Yarl family. He states that it is his commitment to ensuring justice for the Yarl family and all those hurt due to this incident.
In Missouri, Kansas City has a stand-your-ground law, wherein homeowners can use physical force to defend against suspected intruders. The law does state that homeowners cannot use deadly force unless they reasonably believe that their lives and the lives of others are in danger of death, serious injury, or felony.
