…Researched and contributed by Judah Olanisebee.
“Grandson of Andrew Lester Charged with Shooting Ralph Yarl, 16, on His Doorstep: Fundraiser Surges Past $3 Million”
Andrew Lester, an 84-year-old white homeowner, has been accused of shooting 16-year-old Ralph Yarl, who mistakenly knocked on Lester’s door in Kansas City, Missouri.
Lester has been charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action, and faces life in prison if found guilty.
The incident, which is said to have a racial component, has led to a surge in a fundraiser for Yarl, which has raised over $3 million.
Lester’s grandson, Daniel Ludwig, said that his grandfather felt he was in danger, although there is no publicly available evidence to support this claim.
Ludwig also believes that the streets in the area are extremely confusing to navigate, and that it is easy to get lost on them.
He wishes that the shooting had not occurred, and calls it “crazy.”
Yarl, who was shot twice through Lester’s door, was released from hospital and is recovering at home, with his doctors saying that his survival is a miracle.
As a condition of his release, Lester is not allowed to possess weapons of any kind and may not have any contact with Yarl.
The incident has drawn attention to Missouri’s “stand your ground” laws, which permit homeowners to protect themselves with deadly force if they feel it is necessary.
Lester claimed that he was protecting himself from a physical confrontation and could not take the chance of Yarl coming in.
However, Yarl denies that he was pulling on the door handle.
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas has said that Ralph was “shot because he was existing while black,” and that the incident highlights the need for better investigation into how such cases are handled.
Yarl’s mother has called for gun violence against unarmed black individuals to stop, while celebrities including Viola Davis, Jennifer Hudson, Halle Berry, and Jennifer Aniston have called for justice.
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