Homeowner charged after allegedly shooting Black teenager for answering the wrong door
Topics: Black Lives Matter, US News, Ralph Yarl
Stewart Perrie
Featured Image Credit: Facebook
Topics: Black Lives Matter, US News, Ralph Yarl
Police have filed two felony charges against a homeowner who has been accused of shooting a Black teenager who rang his doorbell.
Ralph Yarl was shot twice in Kansas City, Missouri, once in the head and a second time after he fell to the ground, according to a GoFundMe page set up to fund his recovery.
US media has reported that that Ralph's parents asked him to pick up his twin younger brothers at 115th Terrace, but he accidentally went to 115th Street, where he was shot down.
Police responded to reports of a shooting on April 13, and arrived to find the young boy outside the residence.
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Clay County Prosecutor Zachary Thompson has since revealed Andrew D. Lester has been hit with two felony charges.
The 84-year-old white man has been charged with one count of assault in the first degree and one count of armed criminal action.
The first charge carries a potential punishment of up to life in prison, according to CBS.
Prosecutor Thompson said in a statement: "My heart goes out to the child and family involved in this case.
"The probable cause statement indicates the rounds were fired through a glass door.
He added: "As the prosecutor of Clay County, I can tell you there was a racial component to the case."
The bond has already been set at $200,000.
Ralph is now being treated in hospital. According to police, he was dealing with a life-threatening injury, but is now in a stable condition.
According to to the GoFundMe page, which is believed to be set up by Ralph's aunt Faith Spoonmore, she had to knock at three different homes before someone called for help - but only when Ralph laid on the ground with his hands up.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who will be representing Ralph's family, told US media: "It is inescapable not to acknowledge the racial dynamics at play."
Previously, Mr Crump has worked on cases like Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Trayvon Martin, Ahmaud Arbery, and Michael Brown.
Protesters have been marching in Kansas City in response to the devastating incident, chanting 'Black lives matter' and 'Justice for Ralph'.
According to the GoFundMe page, which has raised more than $2 million so far at the time of writing, Ralph is a stellar student, who's a leader in his school's marching band, one of the top base clarinet players in Missouri, a member of the Science Olympia team and the Technology Student Association, and the metropolitan youth orchestra.