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84-Year-Old Accused of Shooting Black Teen for Mistakenly Going to Wrong Home

Ralph Yarl, the injured teenager in Kansas City Photo: AP

On April 13, a shocking incident occurred in Kansas City when an 84-year-old man allegedly shot 16-year-old Ralph Yarl after the teen went to the wrong address to pick up his siblings. The homeowner, Andrew Lester, had told police he was “scared to death” of the boy’s size and fired shots immediately after answering the doorbell when he saw 16-year-old Ralph, pulling on an exterior door handle, according to the probable cause document obtained by CNN.

Ralph was left with gunshot wounds to the head and arm, and was rushed to the hospital. After being treated, Ralph told police he did not pull on the door handle and that his mother had sent him to the wrong address.

Despite being shot twice, Ralph was released from the hospital as “nothing short of a miracle,” according to his attorney Ben Crump. Lester was taken into custody the night of the shooting but was released less than two hours later.

The incident has sparked outrage in the community, with many questioning why Lester was released so quickly. The Kansas City Police Department has defended their decision, saying they recognized that more investigative work needed to be done.

Lester is facing two felony counts of first-degree assault and armed felony action. He has yet to enter a plea in the case.

The incident has highlighted the need for greater awareness and understanding of racial bias, particularly in the wake of a string of similar incidents in recent years.