Kansas City resident Andrew Lester will face charges in shooting Ralph Yarl, a Black teenager who had mistakenly entered his home. Lester pleaded not guilty during his arraignment recently and waived the reading of the charges against him.
The incident occurred on April 13, when Lester shot Yarl in the head and right arm, believing the teenager was an intruder. Yarl, who had arrived at Lester's residence to pick up his twin siblings, suffered a traumatic brain injury.
Lester faces charges of first-degree felony assault and armed criminal action, as announced by Clay County prosecuting attorney Zachary Thompson on April 17. During the preliminary hearing, testimony from 12 witnesses, including Yarl and his mother Cleo Nagbe, was presented.
Yarl recounted the moments leading up to the shooting, stating that he had rung the doorbell and, after a delay, approached the locked glass storm door. Without any prior communication, Lester opened fire, uttering, "Don't come here ever again" afterward. Yarl's account of the incident aired on June 27 during an interview with Good Morning America, revealing that he was shot through a glass door, causing him to flee and seek help.
Lester, who is white, told police that he believed someone was attempting to break into his home, prompting him to retrieve a gun. He claimed to have fired in self-defense upon seeing a Black male pulling on the exterior storm door handle.
The trial is set for October 7, 2024, with a docket call on December 15, according to an ABC affiliate in Kansas City, KMBC.
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Link: ABC News
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