White Homeowner Who Shot Black Teenager Arraigned

As the country processes another senseless shooting, the 84-year-old white homeowner who shot a Black teenager in the head for mistakenly ringing his doorbell in Kansas City, Missouri, was arraigned in court today on a first-degree assault and armed criminal action.

Andrew Lester, a retired aircraft mechanic, told police he shot 16-year-old Ralph Yarl because he “believed someone was attempting to break into the house, and shot twice within a few seconds of opening the door.”

Yarl told police Lester said, “Don’t come around here,” as the teenager turned and ran for his life. The older brother to twins, the teenager had arrived at the wrong house looking for his siblings. The shooting left him with a traumatic brain injury.

The Clay County Prosecutor Zachary Thompson said there is a “racial component” to the shooting but has not provided additional details.

Maze of streets

Lester’s grandson, Daniel Ludwig, told The Daily Beast, “It’s just crazy. I wish it didn’t happen.”

Ludwig also described the streets in his grandfather’s neighborhood as confusing.

“I’d go to visit my grandpa and get lost on those streets,” he said. “It’s easy to do.”

A neighbor also said the roads are difficult to distinguish, and she receives other residents’ “mail all the time.” According to his family, Yarl did not have his cell phone with him.  He was looking for 115th Terrance but was on 115thStreet.

Civil Rights attorneys S. Lee Merritt and Benjamin Crump who are representing the Yarl family call the shooting “horrendous and unjustifiable.”

In a powerful demonstration, more than 1,000 of Yarl’s classmates walked out of class Tuesday with signs expressing well-wishes and support for the accomplished high school student and member of the marching band.