Missouri Homeowner Shoots Teenager
The 85-year-old white homeowner who shot a Black teenage boy turned himself in. Andrew Lester is facing two felony charges, assault in the first degree and armed criminal action, for shooting Ralph Yarl twice.
On April 13, Yarl went to pick up his twin brothers from their friend’s house when he accidentally went to the wrong door. The teen did not have a phone on him when he pulled into the driveway one block from where he needed to be. Yarl went up to the door and rang the doorbell, according to the GoFundMe account set up by his family.
The pages organizer, Faith Spoonmore, went on to say that the homeowner opened the door and looked her nephew “in the eye and shot him in the head.”
My nephew fell to the ground, and the man shot him again.
What Allegedly Happened
Spoonmore stated that Yarl was able to get back to his feet and run for help. “Unfortunately, he had to run to 3 different homes before someone finally agreed to help him after he was told to lie on the ground with his hands up,” Spoonmore added.
The person who finally agreed to help the teen was James Lynch, 42, and father of three. At the time of the shooting, Lynch had just gotten out of the shower and was getting ready for bed. He stated he heard a person scream “Help, help, I’ve been shot!”
Lynch added the screaming was out of place in the quiet neighborhood. The good samaritan ran outside and jumped his fence before sprinting through a neighbor’s yard. Then Lynch crossed the street to where Yarl lay bleeding.
Saving a Life
Growing up Lynch had been an Eagle Scout, all his training kicked in as he tended to Yarl’s injuries, trying to keep him alive. The former Eagle Scout told the teen that he was going to grasp him by the hand “really tight.” As he checked the young man’s pulse he asked Yarl his name, age, and where he went to school.
The teen’s face and arms were covered in blood as he struggled to answer Lynch’s questions. Another neighbor came out with towels to help Lynch save Yarl’s life. Both Lynch and the helpful neighbor stayed with the teen until paramedics arrived.
Clay County Prosecutor Zachary Thompson stated he believed the homeowner had a “racial component” when he shot at the teenager. Yarl suffered a gunshot wound in the left forehead near the eye socket and one to the arm.
Officers Arrival at the Scene
Around 9:52 p.m. officers arrived at the homeowner’s address. A neighbor called 911 saying they believed the shot individual was at a nearby address. As the police approached, they noted the homeowner was standing outside. Lester provided the officers with written consent to search his home.
The homeowner’s front porch had blood on it and his front storm glass door was broken. The officer also saw blood on Lester’s driveway. Additionally, the officer noted there were cameras on the east and south sides of the residence. Moreover, there was blood in the street in front of the neighbor’s home.
Upon searching the homeowner’s dwelling, forensics discovered a .32 caliber Smith and Wesson revolver with two spent shells still in the cylinder. Authorities removed a hard drive from the homeowner. However, the security system was “no longer functional.”
A Bit About Yarl
Yarl is a member of the Technology Student Association and Science Olympia Team. Furthermore, he played in jazz and competition band. He is also “a section leader in the marching band; a scholar and one of the top base clarinet players in Missouri,” stated his aunt. Recently, Yarl earned recognition and an honorable mention from the Missouri All-State Band.
He also got a full college life experience attending Missouri Scholar’s Academy. Yarl has aspirations of attending Texas A&M.
By Sheena Robertson
Sources:
Go Fund Me: Ralph Yarl
CNN: The White homeowner accused of shooting a Black teen who rang his doorbell turns himself in and is released on bail
KMBC News: ‘A racial component’: Court documents detail charges against Andrew Lester, man accused of shooting teenager Ralph Yarl
Yahoo!: ‘He didn’t deserve to get shot’: Good Samaritan who helped Ralph Yarl found him bloody and motionless
KMBC News: What we know about the shooting of KC teenager Ralph Yarl
Top and Featured Image Courtesy of KOMUnews‘ Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Paul Cooper‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
