This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/17/us/ralph-yarl-kansas-city-shooting.html

The article has changed 19 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Black Teenager Is Shot After Going to Wrong House to Pick Up Brothers Black Teenager Is Shot After Going to Wrong House to Pick Up Brothers
(about 1 hour later)
The shooting of a Black teenager who rang the wrong doorbell at a house in Kansas City, Mo., last week led to calls over the weekend for the police to file charges against the white homeowner who opened fire, critically injuring him.The shooting of a Black teenager who rang the wrong doorbell at a house in Kansas City, Mo., last week led to calls over the weekend for the police to file charges against the white homeowner who opened fire, critically injuring him.
The teenager, Ralph Yarl, 16, was hospitalized with two gunshot wounds, including one to the head, according to his family and their lawyers. They said he had been sent to pick up his younger twin brothers at a friend’s house on Thursday evening but mistakenly went to the wrong house about a block away.The teenager, Ralph Yarl, 16, was hospitalized with two gunshot wounds, including one to the head, according to his family and their lawyers. They said he had been sent to pick up his younger twin brothers at a friend’s house on Thursday evening but mistakenly went to the wrong house about a block away.
The man who shot him was taken into custody, held for 24 hours and released with no charges, although the police said the case was still under investigation. On Sunday, family members joined hundreds of demonstrators who marched to the house where Ralph was shot, calling for justice, local news stations reported. The man who shot him was taken into custody, held for 24 hours and released with no charges, although the police said the case was still under investigation. On Sunday, family members joined hundreds of demonstrators who marched to the house where the teenager was shot, calling for justice, local news stations reported.
On Monday afternoon, as pressure on the authorities continued to build, the Police Department said in a statement that it had submitted the investigative case file on the shooting to the Clay County prosecuting attorney’s office “for their review for charges.”
“We recognize the frustration this can cause in the entire criminal justice process,” Chief Stacey Graves of the Kansas City Police Department said at a news conference on Sunday while a protest was happening. “I do recognize the racial components of this case and I do recognize and understand the community’s concern.”“We recognize the frustration this can cause in the entire criminal justice process,” Chief Stacey Graves of the Kansas City Police Department said at a news conference on Sunday while a protest was happening. “I do recognize the racial components of this case and I do recognize and understand the community’s concern.”
The mayor, Quinton Lucas, who is Black, said in an interview on Monday that he was “heartbroken and angry about the situation that we find ourselves in.” The police on Monday referred further inquiries to the Clay County prosecutor’s office, which said in a recorded message on its main phone line that it had received a “substantial amount of public feedback” about the case and was “working as fast as possible to address the matter.” As of Monday afternoon, prosecutors had not received a criminal referral from the Kansas City Police Department about the case, the message said.
Mayor Quinton Lucas of Kansas City, who is Black, said in an interview on Monday that he was “heartbroken and angry about the situation that we find ourselves in.”
“You’ve heard about driving while Black,” Mr. Lucas said. “You’ve heard about all the other issues that Black people confront in life. Can you not knock on the door while Black? It’s almost like you can’t exist.”“You’ve heard about driving while Black,” Mr. Lucas said. “You’ve heard about all the other issues that Black people confront in life. Can you not knock on the door while Black? It’s almost like you can’t exist.”
He said he would encourage “an expeditious conclusion of at least the beginning of an investigation,” and would urge the Police Department to share evidence with the Clay County prosecuting attorney’s office. He said he would encourage “an expeditious conclusion of at least the beginning of an investigation,” and urged the Police Department to share evidence with the Clay County prosecutor’s office.
Police, prosecutors, lawyers and family members did not respond on Monday morning to requests for more details about the investigation and Ralph’s current condition. Police, prosecutors, lawyers and family members did not respond on Monday morning to requests for more details about the investigation and Ralph Yarl’s current condition. Mr. Lucas said on Twitter on Monday afternoon that he had spoken with Ralph’s mother and had “shared with her my personal commitment to ensuring we find justice for her son, her family, and all hurting now in our City.”
Most of the details about the shooting have come from family members and their lawyers, Ben Crump and S. Lee Merritt. “There can be no excuse for the release of this armed and dangerous suspect after admitting to shooting an unarmed, nonthreatening and defenseless teenager that rang his doorbell,” the lawyers wrote in a joint statement on Sunday.Most of the details about the shooting have come from family members and their lawyers, Ben Crump and S. Lee Merritt. “There can be no excuse for the release of this armed and dangerous suspect after admitting to shooting an unarmed, nonthreatening and defenseless teenager that rang his doorbell,” the lawyers wrote in a joint statement on Sunday.
Mr. Crump linked to a fund-raising page started by Ralph’s aunt, Faith Spoonmore, who wrote that her nephew, a high school junior, did not have his phone with him when he went to get his brothers.Mr. Crump linked to a fund-raising page started by Ralph’s aunt, Faith Spoonmore, who wrote that her nephew, a high school junior, did not have his phone with him when he went to get his brothers.
“He mistakenly went to the wrong house, one block away from the house where his siblings were,” she wrote. The Kansas City Star and other local media outlets reported that Ralph intended to go to an address on Northeast 115th Terrace and ended up ringing a doorbell at an address on Northeast 115th Street instead.“He mistakenly went to the wrong house, one block away from the house where his siblings were,” she wrote. The Kansas City Star and other local media outlets reported that Ralph intended to go to an address on Northeast 115th Terrace and ended up ringing a doorbell at an address on Northeast 115th Street instead.
She said that her nephew pulled into the driveway and rang the doorbell and that the man who came to the door shot Ralph in the head. The police did not say where Ralph was wounded. She said that her nephew pulled into the driveway and rang the doorbell and that the man who came to the door shot Ralph in the head. The police did not describe his injuries in detail.
“My nephew fell to the ground, and the man shot him again,” Ms. Spoonmore wrote. “Ralph was then able to get up and run to the neighbor’s house, looking for help. Unfortunately, he had to run to three different homes before someone finally agreed to help him after he was told to lie on the ground with his hands up.”“My nephew fell to the ground, and the man shot him again,” Ms. Spoonmore wrote. “Ralph was then able to get up and run to the neighbor’s house, looking for help. Unfortunately, he had to run to three different homes before someone finally agreed to help him after he was told to lie on the ground with his hands up.”
Chief Graves said the police were called to the scene at about 10 p.m. During the news conference, an investigator declined to say whether it was the homeowner who had called 911.Chief Graves said the police were called to the scene at about 10 p.m. During the news conference, an investigator declined to say whether it was the homeowner who had called 911.
The man who opened fire was released after being held for the maximum 24-hour period allowed without charges under state law in a felony investigation, the chief said at the news conference.The man who opened fire was released after being held for the maximum 24-hour period allowed without charges under state law in a felony investigation, the chief said at the news conference.
Chief Graves also said that there was a “potential” self-defense or “stand your ground” element that investigators were examining. She did not say how many times the teenager had been shot. Chief Graves said that the teenager was expected to give a formal statement to investigators when his injuries allow, she said. She also said that there was a “potential” self-defense or “stand your ground” element that investigators were examining. She did not say how many times the teenager had been shot.
Mr. Lucas, the mayor, said that Missouri’s Stand Your Ground law, which was adopted in 2016, should not apply in this case.Mr. Lucas, the mayor, said that Missouri’s Stand Your Ground law, which was adopted in 2016, should not apply in this case.
“If Stand Your Ground really lets somebody just shoot somebody that rings a doorbell,” he said, “that put the life of every postal worker, every campaigner, every Amazon delivery person at risk in this country.”“If Stand Your Ground really lets somebody just shoot somebody that rings a doorbell,” he said, “that put the life of every postal worker, every campaigner, every Amazon delivery person at risk in this country.”
Detectives are continuing to look into the case for prosecutors to review, the chief said. Ralph is expected to give a formal statement to investigators when his injuries allow, she said. William Lamb and Livia Albeck-Ripka contributed reporting.
William Lamb contributed reporting.