Nearly a week has passed since Ralph Yarl, a black teenager from the United States state of Missouri, was shot twice after arriving at the wrong house while trying to pick up his younger twin siblings. The teen, Ralph, is resting comfortably at home.
Anger, protests, and eventually Andrew Lester’s arrest as an 84-year-old white homeowner ensued after the incident. Mr. Lester turned himself into authorities on Tuesday and is now being held on counts of first-degree assault and armed criminal activity.
Take a look back at what transpired on April 13th night.
Get-Away-Party Pick-Up
Ralph Yarl was requested to pick up his younger twin brothers from a friend’s residence on Thursday night. His mother, Cleo Nagbe, told CBS News that she was apprehensive to let her sons stay out late, so she sent Ralph to fetch them up from the sleepover at around 22:00.
Ralph Yarl was driving across the northern outskirts of Kansas City to pick them up when he made a critical error in interpreting the location and headed to Northeast 115 Street instead of Northeast 115th Terrace.
Ralph reportedly told authorities that he pulled into the driveway and walked up to the front door.
Quick gunfire
Ralph Yarl claims that he rang the doorbell and waited for someone to answer after approaching the house.
According to the probable cause statement, Mr. Lester had two secured doors: the main door on the inside and a glass door on the outside. Mr. Lester, armed with a gun, emerged from the room a short while later.
Mr. Lester pulled the trigger without saying a word. Prosecutors claim that an adult fired a.32 caliber revolver through a glass door at a teenager named Ralph who was standing on the man’s front porch.
Just as Ralph Yarl finished saying, “I fired him in the head,” he passed out. While lying on the ground, he took a second arm shot.
Mr. Lester’s story to the police has some minor discrepancies, though.
According to the probable cause statement, the homeowner claimed he had just gone to bed when he heard the doorbell. He pulled out his weapon and left.
Mr. Lester claims he heard a thump on the exterior door and upon opening it, observed a black figure standing around six feet tall, grasping the doorknob. This last bit doesn’t add up with what Ralph Yarl told police; he denied ever touching the door.
The Yarl family’s attorney told the BBC that the teen is 5 feet, 8 inches tall.
Prosecutors said Monday when they announced charges against Mr. Lester that Ralph did not “cross the threshold” entering the home.
Mr. Lester hasn’t denied shooting Ralph; he told investigators he fired two shots within a minute after walking through the internal door.
The homeowner claimed he was protecting himself because he thought someone was trying to break in.
Try to find some aid
Ralph Yarl said to police fled the scene after hearing two gunshots and didn’t want to risk getting shot again.
Ralph claimed that as he was running, he overheard Mr. Lester remark, “Don’t come around here.”
The teenager reportedly visited three different homes in the area before anyone helped him.
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Ralph was admitted to the hospital on Saturday and stayed there until he was released on Sunday.
Cleo Nagbe, Ralph’s mom, told CBS News on Tuesday that her son had come home with medical staff. His physicians’ optimism for his recovery is surprising.
Claims and apprehension
Mr. Lester came to the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department Headquarters late that Thursday evening for an interview.
Protests erupted on Sunday all around Kansas City when he was arrested on allegations of severe assault but later freed without being held.
Mr. Lester was charged with assault in the first degree and armed criminal action on Monday, as announced by prosecutor Zachary Thompson.
Although the charging filings do not detail any alleged racial bias, Mr. Thomson claimed there was a “racial component” to the shooting.
The Missouri authorities received Mr. Lester’s surrender on a Tuesday afternoon. After posting $10,000 (£160,000) of the $200,000 (£160,000) bail, he was freed.
He faces life in jail if he is found guilty.
Kansas man charged with Ralph Yarl’s shooting (News Video) Watch Now