Ralph Yarl Released from Hospital, 85-Year-Old Charged in Shooting Black Teen Who Went to Wrong House to Pick Up Siblings

Ralph Yarl Released from Hospital, 85-Year-Old Charged in Shooting Black Teen Who Went to Wrong House to Pick Up Siblings
A black teenager survives a grave gun shooting incident and is released from the hospital, as the warrant of arrest for the 85-year-old white shooter is out, and he is finally being charged. Getty Images/STEPHEN ZENNER/AFP

The black teenager was supposed to pick up his siblings but rang the wrong doorbell and was shot twice by the owner of the wrong house he went to.

After fighting for his life in the hospital for days, Ralph Yarl finally gets to go home to his family Monday, his attorney Ben Crump informed CNN News.

"He's not out of the woods yet, but the great thing is, (medical officials) said he was stable enough to go to his home," the attorney stated, further noting that the 16-year-old is still struggling from the stress of the tragedy he faced days ago. His family is just joyful that he is finally home and has survived the gunshot in his head.

On April 13, Yarl's parents asked him to pick up his siblings at their friend's residence. However, an address mix-up led him to the wrong property.

He went to N.E. 115th St. in Kansas City, Missouri, instead of N.E. 115th Terrace. The teenager pulled into the driveway, walked up to the front door, and rang the doorbell without any idea that he was in the wrong house.

It was reported that he was immediately shot in the head, first, by the owner, and was shot the second time around while he was already on the ground bleeding out.

Warrant of Arrest for Alleged Shooter Already Out

Andrew Lester, an 85-year-old White man and owner of the house, was taken into police custody the day of the incident yet was also released pending further investigation.

Yesterday, Lester was charged with assault in the first degree and armed criminal, Clay County Prosecuting Attorney Zachary Thompson revealed Monday, KMBC News reported.

The alleged shooter, if convicted, could spend life in prison. As Thompson explained, felony assault in the first degree has a punishment of ten to 30 years in prison at a minimum or a life sentence as a maximum.

When asked about what the investigators have discovered, Thompson kept his silence but commented, "I can tell you there was a racial component to this case."

A warrant of arrest is out for Lester, yet he has not been booked. It is still unknown whether the man has an attorney that will represent him or provide comments on his behalf.

Celebrities and Protesters Call for Justice

The aunt of Yarl has started a GoFundMe account for the teenager, who is an honors student dreaming of attending Texas A&M University and a section leader in his high school band.

His aunt stated that though he has survived the two gunshots, he "has a long road ahead mentally and emotionally."

Before the charge for the alleged shooter has been out, protesters have gone to the streets and took to social media to demand justice for the boy. Protesters in the streets carried signs that read, "Ringing a doorbell is not a crime" and "The shooter should do the time."

Outrage protesters even went and gathered outside the residence of the man who shot the boy.

Protesters on social media used the hashtag #RalphYarl, and asked the public to contact Prosecutor Thompson and demand the immediate arrest of the shooter.

Celebrities joined the call for justice campaign on social media. Halle Berry, Questlove, Jessica Alba, Justin Timberlake, Kate Hudson, and others weighed in, according to People magazine.

"I was a Ralph. We were all Ralph. A young Black boy HAS THE RIGHT to accidentally go to 115th Street instead of 115th Terrace WITHOUT BEING SHOT. Period," proclaimed Questlove, who extended help to the Yarl family by getting them high-profile attorneys, Lee Merritt and Ben Crump.

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