The family of Ralph Yarl, a Black teenager who was shot after ringing the doorbell of the wrong house, recently announced that they’ve filed a lawsuit against the white man who injured the teen.
Filed on Monday by his mother in Clay Circuit Court, the lawsuit is on behalf of Yarl against Andrew Lester, the 85-year-old who shot him in the head, and Highland Acres Homes Association Inc., who is also named as a defendant for their “careless and negligent conduct.”
Per the lawsuit, Yarl’s family emphasized that Lester never gave the teen a warning before he fired his weapon at him and knew that the teen was not a threat.
Through legal action, the family is also holding the home association accountable, claiming that they should have had knowledge of Lester’s violent behavior and his ability to access dangerous weapons. Per Yarl’s mother, Cleo Nagbe, the lawsuit will also hopefully spark conversations about owning guns and setting safety measures for communities.
The announcement of legal action filed by the family comes months before Lester will go to trial. Scheduled for Oct. 7, the delayed court case will come nearly a year after Lester first pleaded not guilty to first-degree assault and armed criminal action for the trial.
Hundreds rallied for justice in Kansas City, demanding accountability after 16-year-old Ralph Yarl was shot by an elderly man for ringing the wrong doorbell. #JusticeForRalph #RacialJustice pic.twitter.com/9rxiLDbH2L
— Floyd Lamarson (@Floyd_Lamarson) May 2, 2024
“It’s disheartening that a year has passed without tangible progress or accountability for the grave injustice inflicted upon Ralph,” said Nagbe. “No child should fear for their life simply for innocently ringing a doorbell at the wrong house.”
On April 13 last year, upon going to pick up his younger brothers, Yarl mistakenly rang the doorbell to Lester’s house in Kansas City, Missouri. Lester then proceeded to shoot the then-16-year-old in both the head and the arm.
Per CBS, when he was detained, the shooter reportedly told the police that he fired his gun after he answered the door and saw that Yarl was pulling on the door handle. He also told them that no words had been said between the two, claiming that he was “scared” by Yarl’s height. According to his family, the teenager was approximately 5-foot-8 inches tall at 140 pounds.
Per Yarl’s account, upon ringing the doorbell, Lester eventually came to the door and immediately shot him in the head before shooting him in the arm once he fell to the ground. After three different neighbors refused to help him, the teenager was eventually found lying on the street when the police were finally called to the scene.
Although police detained him the night that Yarl was shot, Lester was let go by police after just two hours.
After public outcry, with protestors taking to the Kansas City streets in support of Yarl, he was arrested and charged with shooting the teenager.
If found guilty, Lester could be faced with 10 to 30 years or possibly life in prison for the class-A felony.
