Suspect Andrew Lester is an 85-year-old man and prosecutors believe there was a ‘racial’ element to the shooting of Ralph Yarl
Black teenager Ralph Yarl has been shot by a white homeowner after he accidentally rang the doorbell at the wrong address while going to collect his brothers. The 16-year-old’s interaction with the suspect Andrew Lester in the Northland suburb of Kansas City suddenly turned violent.
The high school student was quickly taken to the hospital as he was having serious injuries. ‘Instead of returning home in 1100 block of Northeast 115th Street he went to Northeast 115th Terrace in Kansas City,’ Missouri, police said. Now prosecutors have made the charges against white homeowner, Andrew D Lester.
Who is white homeowner Andrew D Lester accused of shooting Ralph Yarl in Kansas City: Bio, age, photo
NEW: The Clay County prosecutor has charged 84-year-old Andrew Lester in the shooting of Ralph Yarl, a 16-year-old Black boy in Kansas City who went to the wrong address to pick up his siblings last week.
The prosecutor announced that Lester has been charged with first-degree… pic.twitter.com/M0bQdDaFiB
— Jon Cooper (@joncoopertweets) April 17, 2023
Andrew D Lester charges
On 17 April 2023, authorities announced that a report has been charged against a man named Andrew D Lester for shooting Ralph Yarl. Clay County prosecutor Zachary Thompson confirmed through a press conference, “There is a racial component to this case” but would not give many details on what had caused him. Lester is an 85-year-old white man.
Prosecutors charged Andrew D Lester with assault in the first degree, which carries 10 to 30 years of life imprisonment. Lester has also been charged with armed criminal action, which carries 3 to 15 years of punishment. Mr. Thompson said, ‘he has also been charged for giving a fine of $200,000 but the suspect is not yet in custody.’
A witness informed police that they have seen the vehicle pull into Mr. Lester’s driveway at nearly 9.30 pm. Lester told investigators that he had just laid down when the doorbell rang, he picked up a .32 pistol and opened the door of his house and then he saw a Black male pulling on the exterior door.
He thought he was trying to break into the property. The suspect revealed that he quickly fired twice and that no words were exchanged with the victim.
Initially, Lester was taken into 24-hour custody. However, a suspect can only be held for 24 hours as per Missouri State Law. Charges are to be imposed to increase the duration of custody of the suspect.