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Black Teenager Is Shot After Going to Wrong House to Pick Up Brothers 85-Year-Old Is Charged in Shooting of Black Teenager Who Went to Wrong House
(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. An 85-year-old white man has been charged in connection with the shooting of a Black teenager who approached his front door in Kansas City, Mo., last week after confusing the address with a home about a block away, prosecutors said on Monday.
The man, Andrew D. Lester, was charged with assault in the first degree, a class-A felony, and could face up to life in prison if convicted, Zachary Thompson, the Clay County prosecuting attorney, said at a news conference on Monday evening. Mr. Lester also was charged with armed criminal action, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, Mr. Thompson said.
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 the teenager was shot, calling for justice, local news stations reported. Mr. Thompson said that it was not clear if the teenager knocked on the door or rang the doorbell, but he did not “cross the threshold” into the man’s home. A probable cause statement, he added, did not indicate that “any words were exchanged.”
The charges were announced as pressure mounted on the authorities to pursue a criminal case against Mr. Lester, whom the police initially let go after holding for 24 hours without charges. On Sunday, family members joined hundreds of demonstrators who marched to the house where Mr. Yarl was shot, calling for justice, local news stations reported.
“We understand how frustrating this has been but I can assure you that the criminal justice system is working, and will continue to work,” Mr. Thompson said. “There was a racial component to the case,” he added.
Prosecutors said that Mr. Lester shot the teenager twice, once in the head, and once in the arm.
The shooting led to calls over the weekend for the police to file charges against the assailant, who was detained for 24 hours before he was released on Friday as the investigation continued.
Mr. Lester was not in custody when the charges were announced. Mr. Thompson said at the news conference that a warrant had been issued for his arrest, and that his bail had been set at $200,000.
“I don’t have any information regarding his specific whereabouts, but it’s my understanding law enforcement is aware of the situation and taking all appropriate action,” he added.
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.”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 the protest was happening. “I do recognize the racial components of this case and I do recognize and understand the community’s concern.”
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 said in an interview before the charges were announced on Monday that he was “heartbroken and angry about the situation that we find ourselves in.”
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,” said Mr. Lucas, who is Black. “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 urged the Police Department to share evidence with the Clay County prosecutor’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 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.” The police, 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. Before the charges were announced, most of the details about the shooting had 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 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 describe his injuries in detail.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 on Sunday that 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 gunman 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 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.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.”
William Lamb and Livia Albeck-Ripka contributed reporting. William Lamb contributed reporting.