White Missouri Man Who Shot Ralph Yarl Pleads Guilty

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February 14, 2025

By Christina Carrega, Capital B

Ralph Yarl walks to the Clay County, Missouri, Courthouse to attend a hearing Friday for Andrew Lester, the 86-year-old man who shot Yarl in 2023 after he mistakenly knocked on Lester’s door. (Charlie Riedel/Associated Press)

Nearly two years after Clay County prosecutors filed charges against Andrew Lester in the shooting of Ralph Yarl, he has admitted his guilt. The 86-year-old pleaded guilty to second-degree assault on Friday.

Kansas City, Missouri, activists and the family of the now-18-year-old Black teen, who was shot in the head by Lester, were frustrated by the investigation and outraged that it took so long for the shooter to be charged.

Police initially questioned Lester after the April 13, 2023, shooting. But he was released after 24 hours — which outraged the community and Yarl’s family. He was charged four days later.

As part of a plea agreement, Lester now faces a maximum of seven years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Prior to this, he faced a potential sentence of life in prison.

[…]

“This case centers on the reasonableness of actions taken, not the right to self-defense,” said Clay County Prosecuting Attorney Zachary Thompson in a press release announcing Lester’s guilty plea. “While we support homeowners’ rights to protect themselves, shooting an unarmed teenager through a locked door exceeds reasonable bounds. Ralph made an innocent mistake, and the consequences — being shot twice — far exceeded any reasonable response.”

Learn more.

This shooting shows the dangerous perception of Black children known as adultification.

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