MO - Ralph Yarl, 16, shot twice for ringing the doorbell at the wrong house by mistake, Kansas City, Apr 2023 *arrest*

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Marysmith

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Police learned the teenager’s parents had asked him to pick up his siblings at an address on 115th Terrace, but he accidentally went to a home on 115th Street, where he was shot, according to police.
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Yarl had been looking forward to graduating from high school and visiting West Africa before starting college, where he hopes to major in chemical engineering, his aunt wrote in the fundraiser.

The teen is a section leader in a marching band and could often be found with a musical instrument in hand, Spoonmore wrote. Most recently, Yarl earned Missouri All-State Band honorable mention for playing the Bass Clarinet, according to a North Kansas City Schools’ newsletter in February.
 

Faith Spoonmore, the teen’s aunt, was among protesters on Sunday. She said the homeowner “opened the door, looked my nephew in the eye, and shot him in the head”.

She said he was shot a second time after he fell to the ground, was able to get up and run away, and knocked at three different homes before someone helped him.
 
The father of a 16-year-old Kansas City student who was shot Thursday in the Northland said his son, Ralph Yarl, is home from the hospital. Paul Yarl on Monday morning told The Star that Ralph, a junior at Staley High School, was released from the hospital on Sunday. He is now back home with his mother, a nurse, who is taking off time from work to care for her son, Yarl said. “He continues to improve. He’s responsive and he’s making good progress,” Yarl said




 
I saw this story for the first time this morning and I am angry. This man better be charged for this. There is no defense for what he did. Did he even give the kid enough time to explain why he was there?
 
The father of a 16-year-old Kansas City student who was shot Thursday in the Northland said his son, Ralph Yarl, is home from the hospital. Paul Yarl on Monday morning told The Star that Ralph, a junior at Staley High School, was released from the hospital on Sunday. He is now back home with his mother, a nurse, who is taking off time from work to care for her son, Yarl said. “He continues to improve. He’s responsive and he’s making good progress,” Yarl said




Ralph sounds like a great kid. I hope he makes a full recovery, surrounded by love.
 
The father of a 16-year-old Kansas City student who was shot Thursday in the Northland said his son, Ralph Yarl, is home from the hospital. Paul Yarl on Monday morning told The Star that Ralph, a junior at Staley High School, was released from the hospital on Sunday. He is now back home with his mother, a nurse, who is taking off time from work to care for her son, Yarl said. “He continues to improve. He’s responsive and he’s making good progress,” Yarl said




I pray this poor child recovers. This is just...beyond terrifying. Terrifying isn't a big enough word to describe what happened. This innocent child! Just being a great big brother! My heart goes out to everyone hurting over this. I'm from Kansas City, of course we've always been aware of the racism that exists there, the separation that exists there, both physically, in terms of the way the city itself was CONSTRUCTED, the dividing lines, but also in the mindset of people. I'm not expressing this succinctly, I'm sorry. What I'm trying to say is that, from my perspective, from my experience as a white kid growing up both in the inner city and a few years in the suburbs, there is a definite "us and them" vibe amongst MANY, but there's also a population of people who are aware of separation, of the racist vibe, and they are ashamed of it, they are disgusted by it. This is a disgusting stain on our city, it is reflective of a shameful attitude that is all too prevalent. This family, they sound beautiful. I hate what hate has brought to them. I hope the loving people of Kansas City surround this family, I hope they SHOW UP for this family and their community.
 
Unfortunately, I can understand the fear of an elderly man. I believe that some news outlets have created more fear than is needed, watching that 10 or 12 hours a day, could definitely create a feeling of fear and extreme paranoia.

We have deliberately stopped watching news excessively in our home. My husband gets two hours a day, that is it. He became obsessed with news during Covid. It created more stress than needed in our home.

I send prayers for the family of both the victim and perpetrator. Let's hope that no one escalates this situation.
 
Unfortunately, I can understand the fear of an elderly man. I believe that some news outlets have created more fear than is needed, watching that 10 or 12 hours a day, could definitely create a feeling of fear and extreme paranoia.

We have deliberately stopped watching news excessively in our home. My husband gets two hours a day, that is it. He became obsessed with news during Covid. It created more stress than needed in our home.

I send prayers for the family of both the victim and perpetrator. Let's hope that no one escalates this situation.
Respectfully, in my opinion, the situation itself was a massive escalation. A child innocently rang the wrong doorbell and the homeowner violently escalated the situation to a nightmarish degree by attempting to murder him. His fear is no justification. Watching too much news, however biased or inflammatory it may be, might create a sense of fear and paranoia, but that fear cannot be used to justify attempted murder. Nothing this child did was threatening. Using the excuse of "well, I was afraid because they were black" to justify violence is nothing new and its just as wrong now as its been throughout our history.

If I, as a woman, had an intense fear of men, whether or not that fear was justified, and a man rang my doorbell, and I then proceeded to open the door and shoot him, twice, I would be arrested. Just imagine that. If I tried to use my fear of men as an excuse, the police would likely say "why didn't you ask him to identify himself without opening the door? Why didn't you call us (the police) if you were scared?"
 
Respectfully, in my opinion, the situation itself was a massive escalation. A child innocently rang the wrong doorbell and the homeowner violently escalated the situation to a nightmarish degree by attempting to murder him. His fear is no justification. Watching too much news, however biased or inflammatory it may be, might create a sense of fear and paranoia, but that fear cannot be used to justify attempted murder. Nothing this child did was threatening. Using the excuse of "well, I was afraid because they were black" to justify violence is nothing new and its just as wrong now as its been throughout our history.

If I, as a woman, had an intense fear of men, whether or not that fear was justified, and a man rang my doorbell, and I then proceeded to open the door and shoot him, twice, I would be arrested. Just imagine that. If I tried to use my fear of men as an excuse, the police would likely say "why didn't you ask him to identify himself without opening the door? Why didn't you call us (the police) if you were scared?"

Understanding, is not the same as condoning the man's behavior. Sorry if I sounded like I was justifying a man shooting someone for ringing a doorbell. It should not have happened.

And I hope that people will realize that the law will take care of this incident. No further escalating behavior is needed here.
 

Man faces 2 felony charges, accused of shooting teen who knocked on door in Kansas City

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KWCH) - Update: Clay County Prosecutor Zachary Thompson said Monday that the man accused of shooting a 16-year-old boy last Thursday in Kansas City, Mo., now faces two felony charges. The suspect, identified as 85-year-old Andrew Lester, is charged with assault and armed criminal action. While he has not yet been arrested, his bond has been set at $200,000.


I'm watching CNN .. arrest warrant has been issued for Andrew D. Lester, 2 felony counts, but he is not yet in custody.

Prosecutor said there was no indication that Yarl crossed the threshhold when 2 shots were fired through a glass door. SYG will not likely apply as there is nothing to substantiate the perp should have felt under attack. There was a racial component but according to the KWCH article I linked above, what Lester is charged with carries 10 to 30 years to life, whereas if charged with a hate crime, that would actually have lowered the punishment range available to prosecution.
 
Just saw a similar case:
 
Just saw a similar case:
What is with these people just shooting innocent people who didn’t even do anything? Just want to feel powerful or what?
 

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