Missouri Man Dies Before Sentencing for Shooting Teen Ralph Yarl

Missouri Man Dies Before Sentencing for Shooting Teen Ralph Yarl

A Missouri man has passed away just weeks before his sentencing for shooting a 16-year-old boy who mistakenly went to the wrong address.

86-year-old Andrew Lester had pleaded guilty to second-degree assault last week for shooting Ralph Yarl in Kansas City on April 13, 2023. Lester was scheduled for sentencing on March 7 and was facing a potential seven-year prison sentence. The Yarl family expressed their frustration, stating that "justice was never truly served."

Ralph Yarl had rung Lester’s doorbell while on his way to pick up his younger brothers. Prosecutors claimed that Lester shot the teen without speaking to him. Despite the attack, Yarl survived and has since graduated from high school.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Clay County prosecutor’s office confirmed Lester’s death and extended condolences to his family. “While the legal proceedings have now concluded, we acknowledge that Mr. Lester did take responsibility for his actions by pleading guilty in this case,” they said. “Our thoughts remain with both families affected by this tragic incident as they continue their healing process.”

However, the Yarl family expressed their dissatisfaction to the Kansas City Star, stating that they were upset that “the man responsible escaped sentencing.” They added, “One of the reasons we pushed for a speedy trial was to ensure the public would see that our society does not condone shooting an unarmed, innocent child simply for ringing the wrong doorbell — especially when that child was targeted because of the color of his skin.”

While police initially indicated there was a “racial component” to the shooting, authorities ultimately did not charge Lester with a hate crime.

Lester and his defense team argued that he acted in self-defense, believing the teenager was attempting to break into his home. Yarl had been sent by his mother to pick up his siblings from a playdate around 10 p.m. on that night. Due to a mix-up between two similarly named streets — Northeast 115th Street and Northeast 115th Terrace — he ended up at Lester’s home, about a block from where he intended to go.

After ringing the doorbell, Lester shot Yarl twice — once in the forehead and once in the arm. Prosecutors confirmed that Yarl never entered Lester's home and managed to flee to neighboring houses for help.

Although Lester was initially detained for questioning and released without charges, the lack of immediate action led to protests in Kansas City, with support from celebrities such as Halle Berry, Kerry Washington, and Jennifer Hudson. Lester later turned himself in after an arrest warrant was issued.

This case was one of several in spring 2023 where minor mistakes led to gun violence, including the tragic death of 20-year-old Kaylin Gillis, who was fatally shot after a car she was in pulled into the wrong driveway in upstate New York.

Tags;

demure,
demure trend,
very demure trend,
give me my money trend,
just give me my money trend,
what is demure trend,
what is the demure trend,
demure meaning,
demure trend meaning,
bta trend,
i love your daughter trend,
gimme my money trend,
nice try diddy trend,
legging legs trend,
hey brother trend,
who started the demure trend,
what is the very demure trend,
where did the demure trend come from,