Ralph Yarl shooting: What we need to know about Kansas City shooting victim
Rachel Schilke
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A 16-year-old boy was shot in the head in his attempt to pick up his younger siblings after he pulled into the driveway of the wrong house in Kansas City, Missouri.
Ralph Yarl, 16, was shot by Andrew Lester, 84, on April 13. Lester is charged with assault in the first degree, which is a felony, and carries a life sentence in prison if he is convicted.
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Yarl was supposed to pick up his younger siblings from an address on 115th Terrace but accidentally went to a home on 115th Street. Lester reportedly answered the door and swiftly shot Yarl once in the head and shot him again after he fell onto the ground. Police are investigating the situation.
Here is what to know about Yarl.
Who is Yarl?
Yarl is a 16-year-old high school junior who is a member of the Technology Student Association and Science Olympiad team, as well as a section leader in the marching band.
His family said Yarl is “one of the top bass clarinet players in Missouri.” He recently earned Missouri All-State Band recognition with an honorable mention.
“Ralph can often be found with a musical instrument. He loves them all,” said Faith Spoonmore, Yarl’s aunt.
Last summer, Yarl attended the Missouri Scholars Academy, a three-week residential program for “330 of Missouri’s academically gifted students who are ready to begin their junior year of high school,” according to the website.
The junior is hoping to attend Texas A&M University after graduation and major in chemical engineering, according to Spoonmore.
Yarl’s father, Paul, told the New York Times on Monday that his son is also an athlete who loves music and video games.
Spoonmore created a GoFundMe page on Monday that has since raised more than $2.8 million, surpassing its goal of $2.5 million. More than 74,000 people have donated to Yarl’s page.
What is the status of Yarl’s recovery?
Paul Yarl told reporters on Monday that his son had surgery over the weekend to remove the bullets and was able to walk out of the hospital on Sunday. Ralph Yarl is expected to make a full recovery.
Cleo Nagbe, Ralph’s mother and a nurse, said her son, who was shot above the left eye, had a bullet lodged in his head for up to 12 hours before it was removed. He was also shot in the upper right arm.
“The residual effect of that injury is going to stay with him for quite a while,” Nagbe said.
Still, Nagbe said in a CBS interview that her son was doing “considerably well.”
What is next for the shooter?
Lester, who is charged with assault in the first degree and armed criminal action, was not in custody when the charges were announced, according to prosecutor Zachary Thompson.
A warrant has been issued for his arrest, and the bail is set at $200,000, Thompson said.
“I don’t have any information regarding his specific whereabouts,” he said, “but it’s my understanding law enforcement is aware of the situation and taking all appropriate action.”
The Kansas City Missouri Police Department announced on Monday afternoon that it had submitted the case to the Clay County Prosecutor’s Office for their review.
A few hours later, Thompson publicly identified Lester as the shooter on Monday when announcing the charges.
“There was a racial component to the case,” Thompson said, reinforcing speculation that had been circulating within Yarl’s family and the community.
Lester had shot Yarl through the glass door using a .32-caliber handgun. There was no indication that “any words were exchanged.”
One of the lawyers for Yarl’s family, S. Lee Merritt, was asked during the CBS News interview whether Lester’s age was a factor in the shooting. Merritt said Lester had an opportunity to make an intentional decision not to shoot Yarl, but he did anyway.
“The fact that he’s 84 years old will be a consideration in terms of what he thought,” Merritt said. “But I’ll remind you the former president and current president of the United States is about that age as well.”
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After the charges were announced, civil rights attorney Ben Crump and Merritt released a statement calling for an end to gun violence against black people.
“Our children should feel safe, not as though they are being hunted,” the attorneys said. “While this is certainly a step in the right direction, we will continue to fight for Ralph while he works toward a full recovery.”