Ralph Yarl was picking up his siblings at a home in the 1100 block of NE115th Terrace, but he innocently arrived at the wrong address, NE 115th St. Astonishingly, the owner shot him after knocking on the door.
As the incident occurred, the prosecutor for Clay County indicted Andrew Lester on Monday. Lester has been accused of committing armed criminal action and first-degree assault and is 84 years old.
During the conversation with CBS, Faith Spoonemore who is Ralph Yarl’s aunty talked about Ralph Yarl was coping since he was shot.
According to Faith Spoonemore in the CBS interview, “Ralph is working towards healing and taking the process one day at a time.”
She added,” “Physically, well — if you’re asking if he’s mobile — yes, he is. He is able to walk. He is able to move his arms, so that’s good.”
“However, a lot of the struggles that we’re going to be facing is not so much with physical limitations,” she headed on. “It’s going to be more with mental limitations, emotional limitations, and everything else that comes with dealing with a TBI.”
“Ralph is shy,” Faith said. “He’s quiet. He’s witty. He has a good sense of humor. He can be a little sarcastic sometimes when it comes down to me. But, he loves music. He loves to learn. He loves things that challenge his brain. He loves his brothers.”
“He’s a sweet kid,” Faith Spoonemore continued. “He’s a really sweet kid. And, he’s a harmless kid. That’s part is that he would not harm a fly.”
Now her nephew has been recovering since the shooting.
What Happened With Ralph Yarl?
In Kansas City, Missouri Ralph was sent by his parents to pick up his siblings from a friend’s home, but he was addressed to the wrong location.
The homeowner shot once in the head, breaking his skull and causing catastrophic traumatic brain damage. The homeowner then fired once more hitting the upper right arm till the adolescent became unconscious and fell on the ground.
The family is still in shock and said their son was discharged from the hospital on Sunday and is now recovering at home.
According to his Father Paul Yarl, Ralphs keeps getting better and is responsive and moving forward well.
Ralph Yarl’s aunt also explained to the channel, “My nephew fell to the ground, and the man shot him again. Ralph was then able to get up and run to the neighbor’s house, looking for help,” the GoFundMe page reads.
“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.”
“Even though he is doing well physically, he has a long road ahead mentally and emotionally,” his aunt said. “The trauma that he has to endure and survive is unimaginable.
He is our miracle. We have heard these types of stories many times, and unfortunately, most black boys are not alive to get another chance.”
Is the Culprit Arrested?
Now, the suspect has been taken into custody on Thursday evening for 24 hours and bailed after investigation, a timeline that follows standard procedures under Missouri Law.
Indeed, Police need a formal victim statement, which officials haven’t been able to get due to Yarl’s injuries, forensic evidence, or enough information to trigger charges in order to arrest.
Researchers are also considering whether or not the suspect is protected by Missouri’s Stand Your Ground Laws, which gives permission for a person to defend themselves when faced with an imminent threat and does not need the individual to retreat from the situation before acting in self-defense.
“Ralph’s teacher and friends describe him as a kind soul,’ ‘quiet,’ ‘friendly,’ ‘well-mannered,’ ‘always willing to help,’ ‘super smart,’ and a ‘musical genius,'” the fundraiser said.
On Sunday, hundreds of protesters gathered outside of the home where Yarl was allegedly shot. The shooting has also drawn support from a number of activists and celebrities, including actresses Halle Berry, Viola Davis, and Kerry Washington, singers Jennifer Hudson and Tracee Ellis Ross, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s daughter Bernice King.
“This innocent child is now fighting for his life. This could be your child. This should not happen. Please do something today!” Berry wrote in an Instagram post on Sunday.
As of Tuesday morning, GoFundMe donated $2.66 million to assist the family in recovering the body’s medical bills and other costs.
The Police Department said in a statement that it had handed the case file over to the Clay County prosecutor’s office as the pressure built on Monday afternoon.
A few hours later, Mr. Lester was publicly named by the prosecutor, Zachary Thompson, who also declared that the case had a racial element.
According to Mr. Thompson, Mr. Lester was accused of first-degree assault, a class-A felony, and if found guilty, would be sentenced to life in prison.
Andrew was also accused of engaging in armed criminal activity, which carries a possible 15-year jail sentence.
