A Missouri resident has been charged with shooting a teen who accidentally rang the wrong doorbell while picking up his younger siblings.
Prosecutors announced that Andrew Lester, 85, has been charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action.
Mr. Lester, who is white, allegedly shot 16-year-old Ralph Yarl, who is black, twice on Thursday, once in the cranium and once in the arm. The child lived.
A prosecutor indicated that there was a “racial component” to the gunshot.
Mr. Lester has been issued an arrest warrant. It was initially unclear whether he had been arrested.
Clay County Prosecutor Zachary Thompson declined to elaborate on the alleged racial component of the shooting during a press conference on Monday.
Mr. Thompson stated, “My message to the community is that in Clay County, we enforce the laws and follow the laws.” It makes no difference where you’re from, how you appear, or how much money you have.
On Sunday, Mr. Lester was initially detained by police for interrogation and then released, sparking protests throughout the city.
Personal injury attorney Benjamin Crump, who represents the Yarl family, stated, “You can’t shoot people without justification when someone knocks on your door – knocking on your door is not justification.”
Ralph’s family reported that he knocked on Mr. Lester’s door by accident on April 13 at approximately 22:00 local time while attempting to retrieve his younger twin siblings from a friend’s residence.
According to family members, the youngster went to 115th Street instead of 115th Terrace and rang the doorbell twice. After being shot, he reportedly went to three adjacent homes before receiving assistance.
Attorney Lee Merritt told NBC News, “He heard rustling inside the home, and then the door was opened.”
“And when confronted by a man who warned him, ‘Don’t come back around here,’ he fired his weapon immediately.”
Mr. Lester reportedly told police that he believed someone was attempting to break into his residence and fired two shots through the door. A witness also reported to a local news station that he heard Ralph “screaming that he had been shot”
Prosecutors stated on Monday that Missouri residents have the right to use force if they “reasonably” fear for their safety. Mr. Thompson refused to elaborate on the particulars of this case.
During a protest on Sunday, the boy’s father, Paul Yarl, demanded that the man who fired his son be charged with a crime. “If he is released, the next black child who rings that doorbell could be shot again,” he stated.
Mr. Yarl told the Kansas City Star that Ralph was released from the hospital on Sunday and was currently recuperating at home.
Monday, according to the Yarls’ attorneys, President Joe Biden called them and spoke with them for twenty minutes.
He informed reporters that Vice President Biden had offered his condolences and invited them to the White House once the adolescent had recovered.
Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris tweeted, “No child should ever fear being shot for accidentally ringing the wrong doorbell.”
Viola Davis, Justin Timberlake, Halle Berry, and Kerry Washington, as well as the star quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes, have all condemned the massacre.
As of Monday, a GoFundMe account established to pay for Ralph’s medical recovery has raised over $2.1m (£1.7m).
