Kansas City man charged with shooting Ralph Yarl is in his 80s. Here’s what else we know
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Ralph Yarl shooting
After a Kansas City teenager was shot and injured for going to the door of the wrong house, outrage followed in Kansas City and across the country.
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The owner of a home where a Black teenager was shot and wounded last week in Kansas City’s Northland is a white man in his 80s, according to property records and an attorney for the teen’s family.
Clay County Prosecutor Zachary Thompson identified the alleged shooter as Andrew D. Lester in a press conference late Monday afternoon in announcing charges against him. A warrant was issued for his arrest.
At a news conference Sunday, Police Chief Stacey Graves said the homeowner allegedly shot Ralph Yarl, 16, after the teen arrived at the wrong house to pick up his brothers in the 1100 block of Northeast 115th Street.
Graves said Lester had been initially taken into custody Thursday, placed on a 24-hour hold and released pending further investigation.
Property records reviewed by The Star show Lester, 84, owns the home where Ralph was shot. A database on custody status also showed he was booked last week by KCPD on charges relating to an assault.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is among the attorneys representing Ralph’s family, said based on what Ralph’s relatives told him, the shooter is white.
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Ralph rang the doorbell at the wrong address before the shooting — at a home on Northeast 115th Street instead of Northeast 115th Terrace, according to police. The man who opened the door shot Ralph in the head and shot Ralph again when he was on the ground, Ralph’s family said. Ralph was able to get up and seek help from neighbors, but had to go to three homes before getting help.
Lawyers hired by Ralph’s family criticized law enforcement’s decision to release Lester last week.
“There can be no excuse for the release of this armed and dangerous suspect after admitting to shooting an unarmed, non-threatening and defenseless teenager that rang his doorbell,” said Lee Merritt, a Texas-based civil rights attorney.
Graves on Sunday said detectives needed a statement from the victim to seek charges against the shooter. She also said investigators would consider whether the shooter was protected by Missouri’s so-called “Stand Your Ground” law.
The Star’s Glenn E. Rice and Anna Spoerre contributed to this report.
This story was originally published April 17, 2023 at 2:54 PM.
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