Initially released after being held for 24 hours, the man who shot 16-year-old Ralph Yarl in Kansas City, Missouri, is now back in custody. In our earlier report, the man’s race was unknown, but it has since been confirmed that he is white.
Although officials initially denied any evidence of a racial motive, a Missouri prosecutor now acknowledges that there was a “racial component” to the shooting.
The suspect, 84-year-old Andrew Lester, has been charged with first-degree assault for shooting Ralph Yarl, who is now recovering at home after being shot twice.
Despite community outrage and a protest outside of Lester’s home over the weekend, Prosecuting Attorney Zachary Thompson assures the public that the criminal justice system is working and will continue to work.
According to the Associated Press, Ralph Yarl, an honor student and all-state band member, mistakenly approached the wrong house to pick up his two younger brothers. Lester, without exchanging any words, shot Yarl in the forehead and then again in the right forearm. Yarl heard Lester yell, “Don’t come around here,” as he got up to run. Yarl ran to multiple homes for help before finding someone to call the police.
Although the shooting appears to be a result of Lester seeing a Black kid at his door and shooting first without asking questions, he was not charged with a hate crime. Thompson explains that in Missouri, a hate crime is considered a lesser felony than first-degree assault and carries a less severe penalty.
