Andrew Lester: Missouri man, 84, pleads not guilty to two felony assault charges after shooting 16-year-old Ralph Yarl in the head and arm
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI: Andrew Lester who was arrested for shooting Ralph Yarl, 16, pleaded not guilty to two assault charges during an arraignment. If convicted of first-degree assault, the 84-year-old man will face a maximum sentence of life behind the bars.
The teenager was shot on the doorstep of Lester's suburban home last Thursday, April 13. The alleged shooter turned himself in on April 18 at the Clay County Detention Facility in Kansas City. He is also accused of armed criminal activity which is punishable by up to 15 years of imprisonment. Lester was later freed on a $200,000 bond, reported Daily Mail.
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What happened on the night of the shooting?
The horrifying encounter took place at around 10 pm last Thursday when the 16-year-old mistakenly walked up to Lester's Kansas City home to pick up his younger siblings. His siblings were actually at a nearby house that had a similar address.
Using a .32 caliber revolver, Lester opened fire through a glass door. The two gunshots fired struck Yarl in his head and an arm. According to Zachary Thompson, a Clay County prosecutor said it was not believed that there was any verbal exchange before the shooting. However, citing court documents, local media reported that Yarl who was interviewed by police at the hospital told them that the 84-year-old man told him, "Don't come around here."
The case has 'a racial component,' says prosecutor
Thompson who did not elaborate on details about the case said that the shooting has "a racial component." Hate crime charges which have lesser penalties in the state than the existing two counts against Lester have not been filed against him.
According to Yarl's family, the victim is currently at his home and recovering from his injuries. Following the immediate release of Lester, there were days of protests in the area. Lester was initially placed on a 24-hour hold for investigation and released before forensic evidence collection and Yarl's interview. During the investigative hold, Lester told police that he heard the doorbell ring when he was about to go to bed. He claimed that he saw a "Black male approximately 6 feet tall pulling on the storm door handle." However, Yarl maintained that he never touched the 84-year-old man's door and said that he was "immediately shot in the head."