Ralph Yarl - live: Andrew Lester pleads not guilty in court as shooting investigated as a hate crime

Andrew Lester pleaded not guilty to first-degree assault and armed criminal action as he made his first appearance over the shooting of Ralph Yarl on Wednesday in Clay County Court.

Following the hearing Lee Merritt, the lawyer for Ralph Yarl’s family, told reporters that the shooting was now being probed by the Justice Department as a hate crime.

“Before I even made it to Kansas City, we reached out to the Department of Justice, myself and my co-counsel Ben Crump, we have some longstanding relationships there,” Mr Merritt said, according to KCUR.

Earlier, a new photo captured Black teenager Ralph Yarl back home recovering from his injuries after he was shot in the head and arm by white homeowner Andrew Lester.

Lee Merritt, the civil rights attorney representing the family, posted a photo on Twitter of himself with the 16-year-old.

“Ralph Yarl is home and recovering! How the bullet in his head did not cause more extensive damage is truly a miracle. To God be the glory!” wrote Mr Merritt.

Police say Ralph, 16, went to pick up his younger brothers from a friend’s house on the night of 13 April.

The teen accidentally got the wrong house and Mr Lester allegedly shot him twice through a glass screen door.

Mr Lester, 84, is scheduled to appear in court in Kansas City, Missouri, for the first time on Wednesday afternoon on two felony charges.

He turned himself in to authorities on Tuesday – more than 20 hours after he was charged – only to be released on bond less than two hours later.

The shooting came just two days before Kaylin Gillis, 20, was shot in a driveway in New York by a homeowner after taking a wrong turn.

Key points

• Andrew Lester to be arraigned in court today

• Shooting suspect’s family breaks silence for first time

• Ralph Yarl’s aunt says he ‘lost a part of himself’ in shooting

• Ralph Yarl GoFundMe tops $3.2m

• Gwyneth Paltrow and Kim Kardashian voice outrage over shooting

Andrew Lester makes first court appearance

20:47 , Graeme Massie

Ralph Yarl shooting investigated as hate crime as suspect Andrew Lester pleads not guilty

20:37 , Graeme Massie

The 84-year-old suspect remains out on bond until the next hearing on 1 June.

Ralph Yarl shooting investigated as hate crime as Andrew Lester pleads not guilty

Missouri governor makes statement, a week after shooting

20:28 , Graeme Massie

“It is a tragedy anytime a 16-year-old is shot, and Ralph Yarl is no exception. I trust law enforcement to continue conducting a thorough investigation and expect a fair and just result,” tweeted Governor Mike Parson, a Republican, on Wednesday.

Prosecutors release statement on Ralph Yarl case

20:17 , Graeme Massie

Following Andrew Lester’s not-guilty pleas, Clay County Prosecuting Attorney Zachary Thompson released a statement on the case moving forward.

“Today, an arraignment was held in the case of State of Missouri v. Andrew D. Lester. In Missouri, every defendant is entitled to an initial arraignment where charges are read and a next court date set. In this case, the defendant waived formal reading of the charges and the Court continued the case to June 1, 2023 at 1:30 p.m.

“The purpose of this continuance is to allow the defendant’s attorney, who only filed his entry of appearance today, to review the case and for the State to fulfill its statutory and constitutional obligations to provide discovery to the defendant. From this point forward, the State will be pushing to move this case forward as swiftly as legally permitted.

“While charges have been filed, this remains an active investigation. We are continuing to work with law enforcement to gather any and all evidence available in this case. If anyone in the community has information that would assist in this case, we ask that you please contact the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department or other law enforcement.

“Now that this is an active and pending case, our office is severely limited in the information we can publicly disclose. This is due to our desire to protect the legal integrity of the case and ensure that justice is served for the victim and our community. Despite these restrictions, we will be as transparent as legally permitted and strive to keep the public informed of any developments.”

Justice Department investigating shooting as hate crime, says Ralph Yarl’s lawyer

20:00 , Graeme Massie

Lee Merritt, the lawyer for Ralph Yarl’s family, told reporters outside Clay County Courthouse that the shooting was now being probed by the Justice Department as a hate crime.

“Before I even made it to Kansas City, we reached out to the Department of Justice, myself and my co-counsel Ben Crump, we have some longstanding relationships there,” Mr Merritt said, according to KCUR.

“We thought that this was something the DOJ should be looking into. They are (looking into it). It’s under investigation, they’ve received our complaint and now they’re looking into it.”

Mr Merritt was speaking after Andrew Lester pleaded not guilty to shooting the 16-year-old high school student.

“I want him to spend the rest of his life in prison,” Mr Merritt said. “All of his assets are going to become Ralph’s.”

Ralph Yarl to reportedly meet with Ahmaud Arbery’s mother

19:59 , Graeme Massie

Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man, was shot and killed by three white men as he jogged through their neighbourhood in Georgia.

Now his mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, who is also represented by lawyer Lee Merritt, asked if he could organise a meeting so she could give her moral support to the Yarl family, according to TMZ.

More details from inside Clay County Court

19:56 , Graeme Massie

Mr Lester, 84, used a cane as he made his first court appearance on Wednesday afternoon, according to KCUR.

After he entered two not guilty pleas to first-degree assault and armed criminal action, the judge also set his next court date for 1 June at 1.30pm.

Mr Lester will remain out on bond but is banned from possessing any type of weapon, must have no contact with Ralph Yarl’s family and his cell phone will be monitored.

Andrew Lester pleads not guilty to shooting Ralph Yarl

19:48 , Graeme Massie

Andrew Lester, the 84-year-old white man accused of shooting Ralph Yarl, a Black teenager, has pleaded not guilty in court.

Neighbour describes helping Ralph Yarl after shooting

19:42 , Graeme Massie

The woman, who only wanted to be called Jodi, told KMBC, that she called 911 when the teenager knocked on her doing after being shot.

“I was supposed to pick up my little brothers from their friend’s house. And I went and knocked on the door and the man came to the door with a gun and shot me in the head,” Jodi said Ralph told her.

“He was very alert,” Jodi told the news station.

The woman, who says she is a medical professional, Jodi, got her son to grab towels to support Ralph’s head and put pressure on his wounds.

“Nobody should go through this. That was somebody’s child’s blood I cleaned off the front door,” Jodi said.

And she added: “He’s a very strong, brilliant child that has so much going for him and his future. And this is just sad.”

Ralph Yarl GoFundMe tops $3.2m

19:23 , Graeme Massie

As of 2pm ET, the GoFundMe organised to support the family of Ralph Yarl has raised more than $3.261m.

Experts slam ‘appalling’ length of time it took to arrest suspect

18:25 , Rachel Sharp

Gwen Grant, head of the Urban League of Greater Kansas City, condemned the length of time it took to bring the suspect into custody.

“It is appalling and flat-out unacceptable that the shooter remains free. It is extremely difficult to understand why a statement from the victim is required to detain the assailant,” she said.

A KCPD spokesperson told The Kansas City Star that this was only a “cursory” interview, not a formal statement, which would need to be done “away from medical personnel”.

The decision to release Andrew Lester hours after the shooting was a key spark for protests throughout Kansas City over the weekend, and the fact that he was not immediately arrested on Monday 17 April when the charges were announced provoked further outrage.

“This shows that we are less important and that equal justice in the process is not a reality for us,” said Reverend Vernon P Howard, president of the Kansas City branch of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. “The law enforcement agency responsible for the arrest is failing, which starts at the top.”

Why did it take so long to charge and arrest Andrew Lester?

17:45 , Rachel Sharp

We still don’t really know. Andrew Lester gave himself up to the police on Tuesday 18 April, and was released that evening on bail after paying a $200,000 bond.

In fact, Mr Lester had already been taken into custody on the night of the shooting five days earlier, after police reportedly found him standing inside his house behind the shattered glass storm door.

But according to arrest logs and media reports, he was held for less than two hours before being released by the Kansas City Police Department (KCPD).

That raised alarm bells for civil rights activists, given that police officers across the US have frequently justified fatal shootings of unarmed and often Black citizens by claiming, however questionably, that they believed they were at imminent risk of violence.

“We’re frustrated with law enforcement and their failure to take responsibility for the denial of this family’s due process. No one has owned up to it,” Mr Merritt said. “This 16-year-old unarmed boy didn’t actually pose a threat. But far too often in America, his skin alone is his weapon.”

Police and prosecutors have since claimed that they released Mr Lester that night because they could not hold him longer than 24 hours without charging him, and that they did not charge him because officers needed to get a victim statement from Ralph, who was still in hospital in critical condition.

Ralph’s lawyers have contested that, saying that he actually gave an interview to investigators from his hospital bed on Friday – within the 24-hour limit.

“There is no excuse for the release of this armed and dangerous suspect after admitting to shooting an unarmed, non-threatening, and defenceless teenager that rang his doorbell,” the lawyers said prior to Mr Lester surrendering himself.

“We demand swift action from Clay County prosecutors and law enforcement to identify, arrest, and prosecute to the full extent of the law the man responsible for this horrendous and unjustifiable shooting.”

What we know about the shooting of Ralph Yarl

17:25 , Rachel Sharp

Black teenager went to pick up his younger brothers from a friend’s house, accidentally rang the doorbell at the wrong address and was shot twice by a white homeowner.

Now, protesters, celebrities and civil rights figures are demanding justice.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp reports on the case:

Ralph Yarl: What we know about the shooting of Black teen in Kansas City

Over in New York...

17:09 , Rachel Sharp

The boyfriend of Kaylin Gillis has spoken out about the final moments before she was shot and killed after they pulled into the wrong driveway.

The 20-year-old was killed in New York on Saturday when the couple entered the wrong driveway while searching for a party. The boyfriend, Blake Walsh, 19, told NBC News that his life has been destroyed.

The teenager from Cambridge, New York, told the network that he was driving the car with his girlfriend and two other passengers in the Ford Explorer searching for the party when two bullets flew in their direction, with one striking Ms Gillis.

She was fatally shot when they were exiting the driveway in Hebron, about 50 miles north of Albany.

Read the full story:

Boyfriend of Kaylin Gillis reveals final moments as she was fatally shot

Andrew Lester to be arraigned in court today

16:45 , Rachel Sharp

Suspect Andrew Lester is scheduled to be appear in court today for the shooting of Ralph Yarl.

The 84-year-old will appear for his arraignment at 1.30pm local time at Clay County Courthouse.

He is charged with two felonies over the shooting of the Black teen and faces up to life in prison.

Ralph Yarl rang the wrong doorbell and was shot by Andrew Lester. These key questions remain unanswered

16:20 , Rachel Sharp

Ralph Yarl had no reason to think he was in danger when he approached the house where believed his younger brothers were waiting for him to pick them up, his family say.

“He got a couple of bullets inside his body, instead of a couple of twins coming out and giving him a hug,” Ralph’s mother Cleo Nagbe said in her first interview after the shooting.

Prosecutors have charged Andrew Lester, 85, with shooting Ralph twice on the evening of 13 April when the 16-year-old accidentally mixed up the older man’s address with that of his brothers’ friends.

Although Ralph survived and is reportedly in good spirits, the shooting sparked protests in Kansas City and condemnation across the country, with activists and civil rights lawyers describing it as part of a pattern of white Americans using deadly force against unarmed Black people based on exaggerated and unreasonable ideas of danger.

Yet many questions remain over exactly what happened, not just on the night of the shooting but in the three days that followed without any charges being announced against Ralph’s assailant.

Here are some of the questions that still need answering:

These key questions remain unanswered in the Ralph Yarl shooting

Why have hate crime charges not been filed?

16:00 , Rachel Sharp

On Monday afternoon, Clay County prosecutor Zachary Thompson finally announced that Mr Lester had been charged with two felonies: assault in the first degree, which carries a punishment of 10 to 30 years or life imprisonment, and armed criminal action, which carries a punishment of 3 to 15 years.

However, more than 20 hours passed before Mr Lester was taken into custody.

He surrendered to authorities on Tuesday before being released again less than two hours later after posting $200,000 bond.

Under the conditions of his release, he is not allowed to possess weapons of any type or have any contact with Ralph or his family.

He is due to appear in court for his arraignment on Wednesday.

Ralph’s attorneys have questioned why the suspect has not been charged with attempted murder.

While Mr Merritt said the family is happy that two felony charges have been brought, he has questions as to why Mr Lester has not been charged with attempted murder.

He told CBS Mornings that, while Mr Lester’s age may be a factor in the case, the “current and former president of the United States is about that age”. “He made a conscious decision to shoot a 16-year-old boy,” he said.

He added that the case should qualify as a hate crime.

“Ralph Yarl was shot because he was armed with nothing but other than his Black skin,” he said.

When asked if Mr Lester could also be charged with a hate crime, the prosecutor said on Monday that it would not be possible under state law.

In Missouri, a hate crime is a lower level of felony and to add the charge would amount to double jeopardy, he said.

Will Andrew Lester try to claim self-defence?

15:35 , Rachel Sharp

Legal experts believe Andrew Lester’s lawyers will claim self-defence under Missouri’s “Stand Your Ground” law, which allows for using deadly force if a person is in fear for their life.

Missouri is among roughly 30 states with such statutes.

Robert Spitzer, a professor emeritus of political science at the State University of New York, Cortland, whose research focuses on gun policy and politics, said the Missouri law provides “wide latitude for people to use lethal force.”

St Louis defence attorney Nina McDonnell agreed. She said prosecutors have a strong case but that the Stand Your Ground law defence is a “huge hurdle” to overcome.

“The defendant was in his house and has expressed that he was in fear,” McDonnell said.

Associated Press

Update given on GoFundMe

14:55 , Rachel Sharp

In an update on Tuesday on the GoFundMe page, the family thanked people for their support and donations for the teenager and confirmed that he is now recovering from his injuries at home.

“Ralph is currently at home with the family. He can ambulate and communicate. A true miracle considering what he survived.Each day is different. He has a long road ahead,” the GoFundMe read.

“However, we are very thankful that he is still here with us. I’ve been taking the time to read the emails and comments to Ralph. It warms our hearts to see him smile at all the kind words. Thank you so much for loving Ralph.”

Ralph Yarl GoFundMe tops $3.2m after Black teen shot in the head by white homeowner

14:35 , Rachel Sharp

A GoFundMe campaign launched to support a Black teenager who was shot in the head by a white homeowner when he accidentally went to the wrong address has soared past $3.2m in donations.

Ralph Yarl, a 16-year-old high school junior, was shot twice last Thursday when he went to pick up his younger twin brothers from a friend’s house on 13 April.

Donations have been flooding in on a GoFundMe campaign, set up to help pay for the boy’s recovery.

As of around 9am ET on Tuesday – just two days after its launch – a staggering $3.2m had been raised.

Read the full story:

Ralph Yarl GoFundMe tops $2.8m after Black teen shot for ringing doorbell

Hundreds stage rally in support of Ralph Yarl

14:15 , Rachel Sharp

Kansas City mayor says Ralph Yarl was shot ‘because he was existing while Black'

13:55 , Rachel Sharp

The mayor of Kansas City has said that he believes Ralph Yarl was shot by the white homeowner because of the colour of his skin.

“To pretend that race is not a part of this whole situation would be to have your head in the sand,” Mayor Quinton Lucas told CNN.

“This boy was shot because he was existing while Black.”

Prosecutor have said that their investigation has revealed “a racial component” to the shooting, but the exact nature of this has not been released.

Ralph Yarl’s aunt says he ‘lost a part of himself’ in shooting

13:35 , Rachel Sharp

The family of Ralph Yarl has said that the boy “lost a part of himself” when he was shot by a white homeowner for getting the wrong address.

Faith Spoonmore told CNN that – while he is recovering well – he has a long road to recovery ahead, both emotionally and physically.

“He lost a part of himself that day. A lot has changed since that happened,” she said.

“The way in which he’s gonna walk through this world, it’s gonna be totally different because of what happened.”

Ralph Yarl’s mom says teen can’t stop crying after shooting: ‘He’s replaying the situation over and over’

13:15 , Rachel Sharp

Ralph Yarl’s mother has spoken out to reveal that the Black teenager can’t stop crying as he recovers from his injuries after being shot in the head by an 84-year-old white homeowner.

Cleo Nagbe told CBS Mornings’ Gayle King on Tuesday that the 16-year-old is now left replaying Thursday’s attack “over and over again”.

“You can see that he is just replaying the situation over and over again. And that just doesn’t stop my tears either, because when you see your kid just sits there and constantly he just – tears are just rolling from both sides of his eyes, there’s nothing you can say to him,” she said.

She said that her son is able to communicate “when he feels like it” but he mostly “just sits there and stares and the buckets of tears just rolls down his eyes”.

Read the full story:

Ralph Yarl’s mom says teen is ‘replaying shooting over and over’

Ralph Yarl’s family questions claim Black 16-year-old could have scared the shooter

12:50 , Rachel Sharp

Ralph Yarl’s family has questioned the claim by gunman Andrew Lester that he found the Black 16-year-old intimidating.

Mr Lester claimed that he shot Ralph twice in the head and arm through a glass screen door because he was “scared to death” at the boy’s size and feared he was unable to defend himself given his elderly age.

He claimed he thought the boy was trying to break in and so shot twice through his exterior glass door, court documents state.

Family attorney Lee Merritt told CNN that Ralph – a 16-year-old child – stands at 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighs 140 pounds.

“He’s the least imposing kid that I’ve come across,” he said. “He is a 16-year-old musician. He is not known for his physical prowess.”

Ralph’s aunt Faith Spoonmore also doubted the white homeowner’s claims.

“There is no way you can see fear when you look at that kid – if you really look at him, and not just the color of his skin. There is no way you can see fear,” she said.

Andrew Lester’s family says Ralph Yarl shooting is ‘just crazy’

12:30 , Rachel Sharp

The grandson of the 84-year-old man accused of shooting Black teenager Ralph Yarl said it “never should have happened”.

Ralph, an honors student and all-state band member, was supposed to have gone to 115th Terrace in Kansas City, Missouri to pick up his twin brothers on Thursday.

But he muddled the address and rung the doorbell on 115th Street by mistake, after which he was shot. He suffered gunshot wounds to the left forehead and right arm.

Read the story here:

Andrew Lester’s grandson says Ralph Yarl shooting is ‘just crazy’

Ralph Yarl’s recovery is ‘a miracle’, says family attorney

12:10 , Rachel Sharp

Ralph Yarl’s recovery has been described as “a miracle” as he is back home recovering after being shot in the head and arm.

Lee Merritt, the family’s attorney, told CNN that his prognosis is “very, very positive” following the shooting but that he has a long road to recovery ahead.

On Thursday 13 April, Ralph was shot twice by white homeowner Andrew Lester in a case that has sparked outrage and led to questions about the treatment of the gunman.

Two days later, the boy was able to return home to continue his recovery.

“Thursday night, doctors were scraping off bullet fragments off his brain. Saturday, he was released from the hospital,” said Mr Merritt.

“He has a prognosis of a full recovery, minus scarring and long term, maybe, CTE and Post Traumatic Brain Injury symptoms,” he said.

WATCH: Ralph Yarl’s mother says son is ‘replaying’ shooting ‘over and over again'

11:50 , Rachel Sharp

What we know about white homeowner charged with shooting Ralph Yarl

11:30 , Graeme Massie

Black teenager Ralph Yarl was shot by a white homeowner after he accidentally rang the doorbell at the wrong address while going to collect his brothers.

The 16-year-old accidental visit to Andrew Lester’s home in the Northland suburb of Kansas City quickly turned violent and the high school student was left hospitalised with serious injuries.

Instead of going to a home in the 1100 block of Northeast 115th Terrace in Kansas City, Missouri, to pick up his brothers, he mistakenly went to Northeast 115th Street, police said.

Now prosecutors have brought charges against the homeowner.

Here is everything we know about the suspect:

What we know about white homeowner charged with shooting Ralph Yarl

GoFundMe nears $3m as high-profile figures join campaign

11:10 , Graeme Massie

Comedian Ellyn Daniels has donated $15,000 to a GoFundMe campaign for Ralph Yarl that has now raised more than $2.9m.

Daniels has been joined in donating to the fund by the likes of Madonna’s manager Guy Oseary who gave $5,000 and TV star Julianne Hough, who donated $1,000.

Influencer and entrepreneur Jayde Cheaves gave $5,000 to the fund, and artist Rashid Johnson also donated $1,000.

The Independent’s Graeme Massie has more:

Comedian Ellyn Daniels donates $15,000 to Ralph Yarl GoFundMe campaign

Missouri’s stand your ground law explained:

10:50 , Rachel Sharp

Missouri has a “stand your ground” law allowing an individual “to use physical force upon another person when and to the extent he or she reasonably believes such force to be necessary to defend himself or herself or a third person from what he or she reasonably believes to be the use or imminent use of unlawful force by such other person”.

Under the law, the individual does not have a duty to retreat before using force on the other person.

Stand your ground and self-defence laws are controversial and have been used to acquit individuals in high-profile cases.

For example, Kyle Rittenhouse was found not guilty for killing two men and wounding another in a shooting at a Black Lives Matter protest in 2020.

Prior to this, George Zimmerman avoided conviction for shooting dead Trayvon Martin in Florida in 2012.

Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves said at a press conference on Sunday that investigators were reviewing whether or not Andrew Lester was protected by the state’s laws. He was charged on Monday.

Shooting suspect’s family breaks silence for first time

10:30 , Rachel Sharp

The family of Andrew Lester has broken its silence for the first time to condemn the white homeowner’s shooting of Black teenager Ralph Yarl.

Mr Lester’s grandson Daniel Ludwig told The Daily Beast that the violent encounter “never should have happened.”

“It’s just crazy. I wish it didn’t happen,” he said.

Police say Ralph, 16, went to pick up his younger brothers from a friend’s house on the night of 13 April.

The teen accidentally got the wrong house and – as he waited outside the door to the home – Mr Lester allegedly shot him twice through a glass screen door.

Ralph suffered gunshot wounds to the head and arm. He was released from the hospital at the weekend.

Now, Mr Lester is charged with two felonies over the shooting.

His grandson, who said he is “very close” to Mr Lester, revealed he understands how easy it was for Ralph to get lost on the streets.

“I’d go to visit my grandpa, and I would get lost on those streets,” he said.

“It’s easy to do. They all look the same and everything.”

Ralph Yarl’s mother reveals horror injuries as Black teen had bullet lodged in head for 12 hours

10:10 , Rachel Sharp

Ralph Yarl had a bullet in his head for 12 hours after Andrew Lester shot him twice through a glass screen door.

Rachel Sharp has the details.

Ralph Yarl’s mother reveals horror injuries after shooting

PICTURED: Andrew Lester’s new mugshot

09:51 , Rachel Sharp

Shooting suspect Andrew Lester to appear in court today

09:29 , Rachel Sharp

The white homeowner who shot Black teenager Ralph Yarl twice for going to the wrong house is scheduled to appear in court for the first time today.

Andrew Lester, 84, is scheduled to appear for his arraignment in court in Kansas City, Missouri, according to civil rights attorney Lee Merritt – who is now representing Ralph’s family.

On Monday afternoon, Clay County prosecutor Zachary Thompson announced that Mr Lester had been charged with two felonies: assault in the first degree, which carries a punishment of 10 to 30 years or life imprisonment, and armed criminal action, which carries a punishment of 3 to 15 years.

Bond was set at $200,000.

Mr Lester turned himself in to authorities on Tuesday – more than 20 hours after he was charged – only to be released on bond less than two hours later.

White House decries Ralph Yarl shooting as part of ‘epidemic’ of gun violence

09:03 , Graeme Massie

The White House on Tuesday decried the shooting of 16-year-old Ralph Yarl as the latest in an “epidemic” of gun violence that appears to be continuing unabated across the United States.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called the attack on the Missouri teenager, who was shot once in the head and once in the arm after ringing the wrong doorbell over the weekend, “devastating” and lamented the sheer number of such events that she has had to address from the briefing room.

“It ... feels like every week, at least once a week, I come to the podium and I talk about this gun violence epidemic that we’re seeing across the country, and how our communities and families across America, yet again, have been devastated by tragic acts of gun violence. And it is not just devastating for me, I’m sure it’s devastating for all of you and your families. It’s devastating for this President, its devastating for our administration ... to have to continue to do that over and over again,” she said.

The Independent’s Andrew Feinberg has more:

White House decries Ralph Yarl shooting as part of ‘epidemic’ of gun violence

Ralph Yarl’s classmates hold ‘unity walk’ in campus

08:50 , Namita Singh

Students of Staley High School joined a “unity walk” in support of their high school classmate Ralph Yarl.

“This display of unity is intended to support Ralph in his recovery and have a positive impact on the community,” Susan Hiland, a spokesperson for North Kansas City Public Schools, told NBC affiliate KSHB.

About 1,500 students walked around school’s campus chanting “We love you, Ralph” and “Justice for Ralph”.

“Ralph is an excellent student and talented musician. He maintains a stellar GPA while taking mostly college-level courses. While he loves science and hopes to pursue that career path, his passion is music. Thankfully, we know he is now recovering alongside family,” said North Kansas City Schools Superintendent Dr Dan Clemens.

What to know about shooting at Black teen after home mix-up

08:30 , Namita Singh

Black teen Ralph Yarl was shot twice, in the head and arm, after going to the wrong home in Kansas City, Missouri, to pick up his younger brothers.

Andrew Lester, an 84-year-old white man, told police he fired at honours student Ralph, 16, out of fear last week. But whether Lester will ultimately claim self-defence in court has yet to be seen. The case raises anew questions about race relations in the United States.

Here’s a look at what happened, where the criminal case stands, how the teen is faring and the role gun laws in Missouri could play in the case.

What to know about shooting of Black teen after home mix-up

Biden invites Ralph Yarl to visit Oval Office

08:10 , Namita Singh

President Joe Biden has spoken with Ralph Yarl, the Black teenager who was shot in Kansas City, Missouri, allegedly by a white homeowner after he mistakenly rang the wrong doorbell.

The president phoned the 16-year-old from the White House on Monday afternoon after Ralph had been discharged from hospital.

On Tuesday the White House released a photo of Mr Biden speaking to Ralph and his family on the phone and revealed that the president had invited the high school student to visit him in the Oval Office once he was well enough.

My colleague Sravasti Dasgupta reports:

Biden speaks to Black teen shot after mistakenly knocking on wrong door

White House decries Ralph Yarl shooting as part of ‘epidemic’ of gun violence

07:50 , Namita Singh

The White House on Tuesday decried the shooting of 16-year-old Ralph Yarl as the latest in an “epidemic” of gun violence that appears to be continuing unabated across the United States.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called the attack on the Missouri teenager, who was shot once in the head and once in the arm after ringing the wrong doorbell over the weekend, “devastating” and lamented the sheer number of such events that she has had to address from the briefing room.

Ralph was shot after approaching the wrong house to pick up his younger siblings.

More in this report:

White House decries Ralph Yarl shooting as part of ‘epidemic’ of gun violence

Lester’s grandson says shooting ‘never should have happened’

07:30 , Namita Singh

The grandson of Andrew Lester said that the shooting “never should have happened”.

“It’s just crazy. I wish it didn’t happen,” Daniel Ludwig told The Daily Beast.The shooting happened about 10pm Thursday. Police Chief Stacey Graves said that Ralph Yarl’s parents asked him to pick up his twin brothers at a home on 115th Terrace.

Ralph, an honors student and all-state band member, mistakenly went to 115th Street — a block away from where he meant to be. When he rang the bell, Lester came to the door and shot him in the forehead — then shot him again, in the right forearm.

Mr Ludwig, who described himself as “very close” with his grandfather, said he has often been in precisely the same situation as Ralph, while looking for homes there.

“I’d go to visit my grandpa, and I would get lost on those streets,” he told the outlet. “It’s easy to do. They all look the same and everything.”

The grandson, however, added that he believes Mr Lester felt he was in danger.

Ralph Yarl’s recovery ‘miraculous’, says lawyer

07:17 , Namita Singh

Lee Merritt, Ralph Yarl’s attorney said it is miracle that he’s alive.“Ralph is recovering,” he said while interacting with media outside the courthouse in Clay County on Tuesday.

“He has his good days and bad days,” Mr Merritt was quoted as saying by CBS affiliate KCTV5. He suffered such a severe injury that to complain about anything like a headache seems like a bad idea, because he had a bullet in his brain on Thursday. After doctors scraped that off his brain, his recovery has been miraculous. But, it’s still difficult.”

Ralph’s lawyer said that Clay County prosecuting attorney Zachary Thompson “appears sincere in his effort to get a successful conviction”.

“Again, we’re frustrated with law enforcement, the agents working for him, in their failure and denial to get this family due process come last week,” he added. “No one really owned up to that. We confronted them directly; we know the mistakes that have been made. So, that part is still off-putting.”

Although satisfied with the charges brought against 84-year-old accused Andrew Lester, Mr Merritt said that the family wants to see it throught the sentencing.

“We get that the 16-year-old, unarmed boy didn’t pose a threat but, far too often in America, his skin alone is his weapon. It’s the weaponization of Blackness itself that is what we really feel like this case is about,” Mr Merritt said.

“It’s not only Mr Lester who says he ‘fears for his life’ when he sees Black people. It’s almost every cop who says, ‘I feared for my life,’ as justification for deadly use of force against an unarmed suspect. We hear it every day. We need to address that in our culture. There seems to be an animosity or violence associated with just Blackness alone.”

Missouri’s stand your ground law explained

07:10 , Namita Singh

Missouri has a “stand your ground” law allowing an individual “to use physical force upon another person when and to the extent he or she reasonably believes such force to be necessary to defend himself or herself or a third person from what he or she reasonably believes to be the use or imminent use of unlawful force by such other person”.

Under the law, the individual does not have a duty to retreat before using force on the other person.

Stand your ground and self-defence laws are controversial and have been used to acquit individuals in high-profile cases.

For example, Kyle Rittenhouse was found not guilty for killing two men and wounding another in a shooting at a Black Lives Matter protest in 2020.

Prior to this, George Zimmerman avoided conviction for shooting dead Trayvon Martin in Florida in 2012.

Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves said at a press conference on Sunday that investigators were reviewing whether or not Andrew Lester was protected by the state’s laws. He was charged on Monday.

What we know about white homeowner charged with shooting Ralph Yarl

06:50 , Namita Singh

Black teenager Ralph Yarl was shot by a white homeowner after he accidentally rang the doorbell at the wrong house while going to collect his brothers.

The 16-year-old’s accidental visit to Andrew Lester’s home in the Northland suburb of Kansas City quickly turned violent and the high school student was left hospitalised with serious injuries.

Instead of going to a home in the 1100 block of Northeast 115th Terrace in Kansas City, Missouri, to pick up his brothers, he mistakenly went to Northeast 115th Street, police said.

Now prosecutors have brought charges against the homeowner, who surrendered to authorities on Tuesday afternoon.

Here is everything we know about the suspect:

What we know about white homeowner charged with shooting Ralph Yarl

US senators denounce shooting of Ralph Yarl

06:30 , Namita Singh

Republican Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri denounced the shooting of a 16-year-old Black teenaged boy in Kansas City after a suspect in the case turned himself in and was released on Tuesday.

Andrew Lester, 84, is accused of shooting Ralph Yarl in the head and hand after the teenager mistakenly rang the doorbell at the wrong home as he tried to collect his younger twin brothers.

Mr Hawley, a former attorney general, said the shooting was “terrible.”

“And I’m glad if he thinks he’s got that facts to charge the case,” he told The Independent. “And I hope that they’ll prosecute this thing and that there’ll be justice.”

More in this report:

US senators denounce shooting of Ralph Yarl

Kaylin Gillis: What we know about the fatal shooting of New York woman who entered the wrong driveway

06:10 , Graeme Massie

It was a Saturday night and a group of friends were going to visit another friend.

One of them would end up dead – the latest victim of a random act of gun violence in America.

Kaylin Gillis, 20, was fatally shot all because they took the wrong turning and ended up in the wrong driveway of the wrong home.

And because the homeowner Kevin Monahan decided to grab a firearm and open fire on the vehicle.

Mr Monahan, 65, is now behind bars charged with the 20-year-old’s murder while her family and friends have been left to grieve the life tragically stolen.

Here’s what we know so far about the case:

Kaylin Gillis: What we know about fatal shooting of New York woman

Can a doorbell ring justify a 'stand your ground' shooting?

05:50 , Namita Singh

Andrew Lester had already gone to bed when the doorbell rang a little before 10pm. He got up, grabbed a gun and went to check it out.

Seeing a Black male appearing to pull the handle of the front door, police say the 84-year-old white man opened fire. No questions asked.

Mr Lester told police he believed someone was attempting to break into his house.

That belief — though wrong — could become a defense as Mr Lester faces charges of first-degree assault and armed criminal action for shooting 16-year-old Ralph Yarl, an honor student who went to the wrong Kansas City address while attempting to pick up his younger siblings.

The case, which has stirred outrage across the country, could shine a light on one of the most common self-defense policies in the US — the right to protect yourself in your home. Most states have some version of a “castle doctrine,” either by law or court precedent, that says residents don’t have to retreat when threatened in their homes but instead can respond with physical force.

More in this report:

Can a doorbell ring justify a 'stand your ground' shooting?

About 150 people rallied in support of Ralph Yarl

05:30 , Namita Singh

About 150 supporters attended Tuesday’s rally at police headquarters, chanting “Justice for Ralph” and demanding that the US Department of Justice investigate.

Andrew Lester, the activists said, received preferential treatment because he is white.

Bishop Frank Douglas of the Church of God in Christ, said the US is experiencing its own version of apartheid and that if the shooter had been Black, it would have been “lynching time.”

“We are putting a spotlight to what’s been going on for over 100 years,” the Bishop said. “We got emancipation but we didn’t get love.”

Karen Allman, 61, said she had lived in Lester’s neighborhood for 32 years, although she didn’t know him or hear the shooting. She said she attended Wednesday’s rally to support Yarl and his family because “if we don’t speak out, it’s going to keep happening.”

“I don’t know what they go through on a day-to-day basis being Black,” said Ms Allman, who is white. “But I do know if we don’t stand with them, they don’t have a chance of having any of this fixed.”The assault charge against Mr Lester carries a penalty of up to life in prison.

Mr Lester also was charged with armed criminal action, which has a penalty range of 3-15 years in prison.Charging him with a hate crime would have potentially meant a shorter sentence if he’s convicted, experts said.

Washington University School of Law professor Peter Joy said the state hate crime law is used only to enhance low-level felony or misdemeanor charges.

“What the prosecutor did was charge (Lester) with the highest degree of felony they could charge him with,” he said.

Legal experts believe Mr Lester’s lawyers will claim self-defense under Missouri’s “Stand Your Ground” law, which allows for using deadly force if a person is in fear for their life. Missouri is among roughly 30 states with such statutes.

Robert Spitzer, a professor emeritus of political science at the State University of New York, Cortland, whose research focuses on gun policy and politics, said the Missouri law provides “wide latitude for people to use lethal force.”

St Louis defense attorney Nina McDonnell agreed. She said prosecutors have a strong case but that the Stand Your Ground law defense is a “huge hurdle” to overcome.

“The defendant was in his house and has expressed that he was in fear,” Ms McDonnell said.

CATCH UP: Prosecutors charge Andrew Lester for shooting Ralph Yarl

05:11 , Graeme Massie

Ralph Yarl ran to ‘multiple’ homes asking for help after being shot

05:02 , Namita Singh

Ralph Yarl ran to “multiple” homes asking for help after Andrew Lester shot him, the statement said.

James Lynch was the neighbor who found Ralph. He didn’t respond to an interview request from AP, but his wife confirmed an NBC News report that said Mr Lynch heard shouting and saw Yarl banging on the door of another home.

“I heard somebody screaming, ‘Help, help, I’ve been shot!”’ Mr Lynch, who is white, told NBC.

The father of three ran out and found Ralph covered in blood. Mr Lynch checked his pulse and, when another neighbor came out with towels, helped stem the bleeding until paramedics arrived.

‘Buckets of tears just rolls down his eyes’ says Ralph Yarl’s mother

04:30 , Namita Singh

Ralph Yarl is in good spirits but the trauma remains evident, said his mother Cleo Nagbe.

He is “able to communicate mostly when he feels like it, but mostly he just sits there and stares, and the buckets of tears just roll down his eyes,” she told CBS Mornings.

“You can see that he is just replaying the situation over and over again, and that just doesn’t stop my tears either.”The shooting happened about 10pm Thursday.

Police Chief Stacey Graves said that Ralph’s parents asked him to pick up his twin brothers at a home on 115th Terrace.Ralph, an honors student and all-state band member, mistakenly went to 115th Street — a block away from where he meant to be.

When he rang the bell, Lester came to the door and shot him in the forehead — then shot him again, in the right forearm, police say.

The Ralph Yarl shooting – and what happened after – must be a wake up call

04:09 , Graeme Massie

When a Black child is shot for ringing a doorbell, alarms ought to go off, writes Michael Arceneaux.

The Ralph Yarl shooting – and what happened after – must be a wake up call | Voices

Ralph Yarl armed only with ‘Black skin’, family lawyer says

04:03 , Namita Singh

As Ralph Yarl struggled to come to grips with being shot after going to the wrong house to pick up his younger brothers, the white Kansas City, Missouri, homeowner who shot the Black teenager turned himself in and was released on bond Tuesday.

Andrew Lester, 84, surrendered at the Clay County Detention Center a day after being charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action. He posted bond Tuesday afternoon. Some civil rights leaders urged a hate crime charge, but Clay County prosecuting attorney Zachary Thompson said first-degree assault is a higher-level crime with a longer sentence — up to life in prison.

Lee Merritt, an attorney for the Yarl family, said the case should qualify as a hate crime.“Ralph Yarl was shot because he was armed with nothing but other than his Black skin,” he said.

Mr Merritt said the family is also angry that police held Mr Lester for only two hours after the shooting, when they legally could have held him for 24.

“If they would have held him for 24 hours, they would have held him long enough to get the statement from the kid with a bullet in his brain,”Mr Merritt said. “They got the statement the very next day.”

Andrew Lester’s home was surrounded by security cameras

03:04 , Graeme Massie

Andrew Lester’s home was surrounded by security cameras when he shot Black teenager Ralph Yarl in the head, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Officers arrived on the scene at around 9.52pm on Thursday night to reports of a shooting and found the 16-year-old with gunshot wounds.

After being directed to a home where neighbours believed the shooting took place, they found Mr Lester standing inside his house with the glass storm door shattered from the bullets.

The officer noted in the documents that there were cameras on the south and east side of the home.

However, the cameras did not capture what happened as the system was “no longer functional”.

In fact, the last footage captured on the cameras was back on 25 June 2022.

What happened to Ralph Yarl?

02:01 , Graeme Massie

Ralph Yarl found himself lying in a hospital bed with gunshot wounds to the left forehead and right arm.

Harrowing photos showed the Black teenager with tubes coming out of him and his head and right arm wrapped up in bandages.

He is alive but his family says he has a long road to recovery ahead – a recovery that threatens to derail his dreams of going off to college to pursue a career in engineering.

So how did he end up here?

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp reports:

Ralph Yarl: What we know about the shooting of Black teen in Kansas City

Ralph Yarl's mother describes son's injuries from shooting

Wednesday 19 April 2023 00:58 , Graeme Massie

VOICES: The Ralph Yarl shooting must be a wake up call

Wednesday 19 April 2023 00:31 , Graeme Massie

In a new column for The Independent, Michael Arceneaux delves into the frustrating question of why the man who allegedly shot Ralph Lester still has yet to be taken into custody.

“I have been fortunate enough to have visited Kansas City because of my books. It is a lovely city with a booming Black arts scene and good BBQ. Yet, I did notice during my time there – and was frequently stressed to me as it so often is, particularly in certain parts of America – how segregated the city remains and how much racism permeates,” he writes.

“What happened to Ralph Yarl and what has happened since then speaks to that division – and how violent and unjust it remains.

“When an old white man shoots a Black child for ringing his doorbell, some alarm bells ought to go off – especially for those responsible for prosecuting crimes.

“Lester was indeed taken into custody after the shooting and placed on a 24-hour hold. As mandated by state law, a person suspected of a felony must be charged under that period or be released. Everything about this screams crime and racism yet it appears Lester was released after less than two hours.

“It took days and a national outcry including the likes of President Joe Biden and A-list celebrities like Halle Berry, Kerry Washington, Naomi Campbell and Gwyneth Paltrow, but days later, finally Lester was charged with two crimes in the April 13th shooting.”

Read more:

The Ralph Yarl shooting – and what happened after – must be a wake up call | Voices

Biden releases photo of call with Ralph Yarl

Tuesday 18 April 2023 23:58 , Graeme Massie

President Joe Biden released a photo of himself on the phone with Ralph Yarl on Tuesday afternoon.

“Last night, I had a chance to call Ralph Yarl and his family,” he wrote in the caption of a tweet.

“No parent should have to worry that their kid will be shot after ringing the wrong doorbell.

“We’ve got to keep up the fight against gun violence.And Ralph, we’ll see you in the Oval once you feel better.”

Yarl family attorney says Ralph did not pose a threat

Tuesday 18 April 2023 23:45 , Graeme Massie

“But far too often in America, his skin alone is his weapon,” lawyer Lee Merritt told KMBC. “It’s the weaponisation of blackness itself is really what we feel like this case is about.”

What next for Andrew Lester?

Tuesday 18 April 2023 22:45 , Graeme Massie

Ralph Yarl shooting suspect Andrew Lester will be arraigned in Kansas City at 1.30pm CT on Wednesday 19 April.

Ralph Yarl’s classmates walkout of school in support

Tuesday 18 April 2023 22:31 , Graeme Massie

What charges is Andrew Lester facing?

Tuesday 18 April 2023 21:50 , Megan Sheets

On Monday afternoon, Clay County prosecutor Zachary Thompson announced that 84-year-old Andrew Lester had been charged with two felonies: assault in the first degree, which carries a punishment of 10 to 30 years or life imprisonment, and armed criminal action, which carries a punishment of 3 to 15 years.

However, when asked if Mr Lester could also be charged with a hate crime, the prosecutor said that it would not be possible under state law.

In Missouri, a hate crime is a lower level of felony and to add the charge would amount to double jeopardy, he said.

Mr Crump said in a statement: “While this is certainly a step in the right direction, we will continue to fight for Ralph while he works towards a full recovery.”

Mr Lester was finally booked into jail more than 20 hours after the charges were announced, having surrendered to authorities. He posted $200,000 bond soon after.

Andrew Lester released on bond, reports say

Tuesday 18 April 2023 21:18 , Megan Sheets

Andrew Lester has reportedly been released on bond just hours after being taken into custody.

Mr Lester’s bond was set at $200,000 when prosecutors filed charges against him on Monday afternoon.

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office announced that he had surrendered and been booked into a detention centre just before 1.30pm local time on Tuesday.

Just after 3pm local time, reports emerged that he had already bonded out.

Ralph Yarl’s family currently meeting with Clay County prosecutor

Tuesday 18 April 2023 20:10 , Megan Sheets

Ralph Yarl’s family is currently in a meeting with Clay County Prosecutor Zach Thompson.

The family’s attorney, Lee Merritt, announced the meeting following the first interview with Ralph’s mother earlier on Tuesday,

Andrew Lester seen in new mugshot

Tuesday 18 April 2023 19:47 , Megan Sheets

A new mugshot has been released following Andrew Lester’s arrest.

The photo was taken on Tuesday afternoon when he was booked into a Clay County detention centre after surrendering.

Andrew Lester turns himself

Tuesday 18 April 2023 19:29 , Megan Sheets

Suspect Andrew Lester has now turned himself in to authorities.

The news on Tuesday afternoon came more than 20 hours after the Clay County prosecutor’s office announced felony charges against the 84-year-old for the shooting of Ralph Yarl.

“Andrew Lester, charged in the shooting of Ralph Yarl, has surrendered at our Detention Center and is in custody,” the Clay County Sheriff’s Office said. “He is in the booking process right now.”

The Independent’s Graeme Massie reports:

Ralph Yarl shooting suspect Andrew Lester turns himself into police

Ralph Yarl’s mother breaks silence over son’s shooting

Tuesday 18 April 2023 18:15 , Megan Sheets

Ralph Yarl’s mother Cleo Nagbe has broken her silence over her son’s shooting.

“He got a couple of bullets inside his body, instead of a couple of twins coming out and giving him a hug,” she said.

Missouri’s gun laws explained:

Tuesday 18 April 2023 17:40 , Rachel Sharp

Missouri is a permitless carry state meaning that people can carry hidden, loaded handguns in public without a permit or safety training.

There is also no law requiring background checks on unlicensed gun sales.

In the state, 1,351 people die by guns in Missouri, according to Everytown.

Vice President Kamala Harris says ‘every child deserves to be safe’ after shooting

Tuesday 18 April 2023 17:00 , Rachel Sharp

Vice President Kamala Harris has condemned the shooting of Ralph Yarl.

“Doug and I are praying for Ralph Yarl and his family as he fights for his life,” she said in a statement on Twitter.

“Let’s be clear: No child should ever live in fear of being shot for ringing the wrong doorbell. Every child deserves to be safe. That’s the America we are fighting for.”

Why hasn’t Andrew Lester been charged with attempted murder?

Tuesday 18 April 2023 16:40 , Rachel Sharp

Andrew Lester was charged with two felonies on Monday – assault in the first degree and armed criminal action.

During a press conference on Monday, Prosecutor Zachary Thompson was asked why he had not been charged with attempted murder for shooting the unarmed teenager through a glass door.

The prosecutor said that the two charges filed are class A felonies – the highest level of crime in the state of Missouri – and so the suspect is facing life in prison.

Gabby Giffords speaks out about Ralph Yarl shooting

Tuesday 18 April 2023 16:00 , Rachel Sharp

Gabby Giffords has also spoken out about the shooting of Ralph Yarl.

The former congresswoman, who was critically injured after being shot in 2011, tweeted on Monday: “As someone who is still recovering from a gunshot to the head, I am heartbroken and infuriated that Ralph Yarl now faces a lifetime of recovery. At 16 years old.

“For simply ringing a doorbell. We cannot continue to be a nation defined by gun violence and injustice.”

A familiar story: Shot over the wrong door, the wrong driveway

Tuesday 18 April 2023 15:20 , Rachel Sharp

The fatal shooting of a 20-year-old in New York shares eerily similar circumstances with the shooting of a Black teenager in Missouri.

Just two days after Ralph Yarl was shot in the head by a homeowner when he got the wrong house in Missouri, Kaylin Gillis was shot dead by a homeowner for turning onto the wrong driveway.

Gillis and was travelling in a car with three friends when they made a wrong turn looking for a friend’s house in Hebron, rural upstate New York, on Saturday night.

Washington County Sheriff Jeffrey Murphy said at a press conference on Monday that the group accidentally drove into the driveway of Mr Monahan’s home.

At that point, the 65-year-old allegedly came out onto his front porch and opened fire on the vehicle.

“It’s a very rural area with dirt roads. It’s easy to get lost. They drove up this driveway for a very short time, realised their mistake and were leaving, when Mr Monahan came out and fired two shots,” said the sheriff.

Police said Mr Monahan fired two shots – one of which struck Gillis inside the vehicle.

Due to the lack of cellphone reception in the remote area where the shooting took place, the group drove to the neighbouring town of Salem to call 911.

Emergency responders arrived on the scene but Gillis was pronunced dead from her injuries.

MUGSHOT: Andrew Lester

Tuesday 18 April 2023 12:40 , Rachel Sharp

Andrew Lester, 84, was charged on Monday with two felonies over the shooting of Ralph Yarl.

Here he is in his mugshot.

New York homeowner shoots dead woman who went to wrong house – two days after Ralph Yarl shooting

Tuesday 18 April 2023 12:20 , Rachel Sharp

A New York homeowner has shot and killed a woman who went to the wrong house with a group of friends – in eerily similar circumstances to the shooting of Black teenager Ralph Yarl.

Kaylin Gillis, 20, was travelling in a car with three friends when they made a wrong turn looking for a friend’s house in Hebron, upstate New York, on Saturday night.

The group accidentally drove into the driveway of homeowner Kevin Monahan, 65, who came out onto his porch and fired two shots, according to Washington County Sheriff Jeffrey Murphy.

Gillis was struck by one of the bullets.

Read the full story:

New York woman shot dead for pulling into wrong driveway, echoing Ralph Yarl case

Gwyneth Paltrow joins chorus of celebrities condemning shooting

Tuesday 18 April 2023 11:40 , Rachel Sharp

Actor Gwyneth Paltrow has joined the growing chorus of celebrities condemning the shooting.

She wrote on Instagram: “#RalphYarl accidentally rang the doorbell of the wrong house in KCMO. He was trying to pick his younger siblings. The white owner of the hours shot this Black child in the head. He shot him again as Ralph bled out. The shooter is free. No charges. This is America.”