Protests have erupted on the streets of Kansas after a Black teenager was shot twice after he was sent by his parents to pick up his brothers from a friend's house but went to the wrong address.
Ralph Yarl, 16 was seriously wounded after being shot on April 13 by Andrew Lester - the white 85-year-old man who owns the home he mistakenly visited.
Lester will face felony charges of assault in the first degree and armed criminal action, Clay County attorney Zachary Thompson announced early Monday evening.
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Authorities have issued a warrant for his arrest and he's not currently in custody, Thompson said.
"I can tell you there was a racial component to this case," Thompson said at a news conference without elaborating.
There is no indication that either Lester or Ralph spoke to one another before the Thursday evening shooting, he said.
https://twitter.com/jekearsley/status/1648112320248451073The prosecutor added there is no evidence that the teen entered the home and preliminary evidence shows Lester opened fire on the teen through a glass door with a .32 calibre revolver.
CNN has not been able to reach the man for comment at this time.
A lawyer was not listed in the booking report.
Wounded teen released from hospital
Officers responded to a home on April 13, just before 10 pm, after receiving reports of a shooting.
When they arrived, they found Ralph, 16, who had been shot outside the residence by the homeowner.
Ralph was "shot twice and struck in the head and arm", his family's attorneys said in a statement.
The neighbour CNN spoke with said they did not hear the shooting because they were asleep.
But did say once awake, "We came outside (the victim) was laying in the street surrounded by a few of our neighbours."
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Ralph was released from the hospital on Sunday, according to a report from The Kansas City Star, citing an interview with the teen's father.
"He continues to improve. He's responsive and he's making good progress," Paul Yarl told the newspaper.
After spending three nights in the hospital, Ralph is recovering at home, being cared for by his mother who is a nurse, the newspaper reported.
Family attorney Ben Crump claimed the shooting was a racial profiling incident in an interview with CNN's John Berman.
"We have been informed by his family that it was a white man who shot their 16-year-old son," Crump said, explaining that he believes the teen was shot because he is Black.
"It is inescapable not to observe the racial dynamics here," said Crump.
"If the roles were reversed," he continued, "how much outrage would there be in America?"
At a weekend rally, community and family members marched to and demonstrated in front of the man's house, calling for charges to be filed.
Protesters marched as they chanted, "justice for Ralph" and "Black lives matter," and carried signs reading, "Ringing a doorbell is not a crime" and "The shooter should do the time," footage from CNN affiliate KMBC shows.
The teen's father said, "We want charges. That's what we want."
Family seeking 'swift action'
Police learned the teenager's parents had asked him to pick up his siblings at an address on 115th Terrace, but he accidentally went to a home on 115th Street, where he was shot.
Lawyers for Ralph's family also say the youth was shot after he went to the wrong house.
"Ralph Yarl was picking up his younger brothers when he mistakenly rang the doorbell at the wrong house. A man shot Ralph twice and now he's in critical condition. His family needs support during this tragedy," Crump tweeted.
Attorneys for the wounded youth's family issued a statement demanding "swift action from Clay County prosecutors and law enforcement to identify, arrest and prosecute to the full extent of the law the man responsible for this horrendous and unjustifiable shooting".
In a Monday interview with CNN, Crump said the shooting "hearkens back to Trayvon Martin and Ahmaud Arbery and so many of these other tragedies where you had citizens profile and shoot our Black children and the police then let them go home and sleep in their beds at night. Unacceptable."
Asked whether the shooting may have been racially motivated, the police chief said, "the information that we have now, it does not say that that is racially motivated. That's still an active investigation. But as a chief of police, I do recognise the racial components of this case."
Graves sought to assure the Kansas City community Sunday the police department is committed to the case.
"We recognise the frustration this can cause in the entire criminal justice process. The women and men of the Kansas City Police Department are working as expeditiously and as thoroughly as we can, to ensure the criminal justice process continues to advance as quickly as all involved and our community deserve," Graves said.
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said there will be a thorough investigation and review by the prosecutor's office.
"As a parent, I certainly feel for the mother of the victim and others in the family. My heart goes out to them," the mayor added.
Youth was a band section leader
A crowdfunding page started by Faith Spoonmore, who identified herself as Ralph's aunt, to help the family raise money for medical expenses had garnered more than $2.2 million in donations by Monday afternoon.
Ralph had been looking forward to graduating from high school and visiting West Africa before starting college, his aunt wrote in the fundraiser.
The teen is a section leader in a marching band and could often be found with a musical instrument in hand, Spoonmore wrote.
Most recently, Ralph earned Missouri All-State Band honourable mention for playing the bass clarinet, according to a North Kansas City Schools' newsletter in February.
He also plays multiple instruments in the metropolitan youth orchestra, his aunt wrote.
He is a member of his school's Technology Student Association and Science Olympiad Team and is a 2022 Missouri Scholars Academy alumni, she wrote.
"Last summer, Ralph attended Missouri Scholar's Academy, where he got a full college life experience," Spoonmore wrote. "His goal is to attend Texas A&M to major in chemical Engineering. When asked how he plans to get into this university, he said, 'Well, if they have a scholarship for music or academics, I know I can get it.' "
"Life looks a lot different right now. Even though he is doing well physically, he has a long road ahead mentally and emotionally. The trauma that he has to endure and survive is unimaginable," the post reads.
Dan Clemens, superintendent of North Kansas City Schools, released a statement saying Ralph is "an excellent student and talented musician".
"We are devastated to learn one of our students was involved in a horrific incident last week," Clemens wrote.
"Our thoughts are with the Yarl family, and I know I speak for all of us when we wish him a full and quick recovery. Ralph is an excellent student and talented musician.
"He maintains a stellar GPA while taking mostly college-level courses.
"While he loves science and hopes to pursue that career path, his passion is music. Thankfully, we know he is now recovering alongside family."
Neighbour says she called 911
Emerging details of the incident illustrate the strength and bravery shown by the high school junior after he was shot.
A neighbour, who asked not to be identified, tells CNN she called 911 after Ralph came to her door, bleeding.
She was directed to stay inside her home by the emergency operator, for her safety as the shooter's location was unknown.
"I wanted to help him, but they kept saying that we don't know where the shooter is at," the woman said.
She complied initially, then went outside with towels to help suppress the bleeding.
"I kneeled down next to him, and I said what's your name ... Who shot you?"
She said Ralph explained he "was supposed to pick up my brothers".
"We figured out then he went to the wrong street, which is no excuse for what happened," she said.
"This is somebody's child. I had to clean blood off of my door, off of my railing. That was someone's child's blood. I'm a mum ... this is not OK."
While awaiting the ambulance, bleeding from injuries to the left side of his head and his right arm, the neighbour said Ralph told her he runs on the high school track team and plays the bass clarinet in band.
"He was very alert," she said.
"He is a very strong man. Very brave."
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