Kansas City Teen Ralph Yarl Shot After Ringing Wrong Doorbell
- Home / Criminal Law /
- Kansas City Teen Ralph Yarl Shot After Ringing Wrong Doorbell
April 19, 2023

Ralph Yarl, a 16-year-old Black teenager, was shot and seriously wounded by a man in his 80s on April 13 in Kansas City, Missouri, after he rang the doorbell of the man’s house that night.
Police said the teenager was picking up his siblings at a house on Northeast 115th Terrace, but went to a house on Northeast 115th Street by mistake, according to FOX59. Yarl was “shot twice and struck in the head and arm,” his family’s attorneys said in a statement, according to CNN.
Clay County prosecutor Zachary Thompson identified the shooter as a White man named Andrew D. Lester, 84. Thompson’s office has filed felony criminal charges of first-degree assault and armed criminal action against Lester, NPR reported.
Thankfully, the teen’s father, Paul Yarl, told The Kansas City Star on Monday, April 17, that his son was released from the hospital on Sunday.
“He continues to improve. He’s responsive and he’s making good progress,” Paul said.
Kansas City police said the homeowner who allegedly shot Ralph was taken into custody on Thursday and placed on a 24-hour hold before he was released, Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves said Sunday.
“There can be no excuse for the release of this armed and dangerous suspect,” civil rights attorneys Lee Merritt and Ben Crump, who took on the case, said in a statement, according to NBC.
Now, a neighbor who called 911 after Ralph came to her door bleeding has spoken out about a child being injured in another tragic case of gun violence in the United States.
“We figured out then he went to the wrong street, which is no excuse for what happened,” the neighbor, who asked not to be identified, told CNN.
“This is somebody’s child. I had to clean blood off of my door, off of my railing. That was someone’s child’s blood. I’m a mom…this is not OK.”
Vice President Kamala Harris also wrote 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.”
Phillips Law Group strongly condemns this act of violence. Every child deserves to live free from violence, but for many in America, their reality is very different.
Our nation’s kids pay an enormous price for our lack of common sense gun laws. We must do better for our children and seek justice for Ralph Yarl.
Free Case Evaluation
By submitting your contact information, you agree that we may contact you by telephone (including text) and email in accordance with our Terms and Privacy Policy

Your message has been sent
Thank you for your message, we will get back to you soon.
-
I want to thank attorneys Tim and Robert and the paralegal Bethany for all they had done on my case. They were all empathetic, knowledgeable and professional. All my questions were answered, emails returned in a timely matter, and promises fulfilled. I recommend Phillips Law Group if you need help with your injury case.
-
Kathy Hudson and Donato Giovanatto. Continues to go above and beyond the call of duty. Reaching out to the insurance company about the damage to the vehicle. Forcing them to take responsibility.
-
Jeffrey Phillips is truly a brilliant attorney and businessman. I would not hesitate for a moment to contact him if I needed a personal injury attorney in Arizona, you would be fortunate to have him and his team. If you have a car accident, slip and fall in a store, or get punched in the face, call Phillips.
-
Jon Jamieson was amazing to work with . He came through with all of his promises.
-
A friend of mine recommended Phillips Law and I’m so grateful, because they were so wonderful, so down to earth, so professional. I felt like they were family.
-
Phillips Law Group provides a collaborative environment in which both attorneys and staff work together to achieve the best outcome for clients. As an attorney here at PLG, I’m lucky to be surrounded by seasoned attorneys and knowledgeable staff that share my enthusiasm for helping accident victims. The team here at PLG treats clients with respect and empathy while fighting hard to get the results they deserve.
-
Phillips Law Group does so much for the community!!! I especially enjoy seeing Juan Roque out there. This gentle giant always has a smile on his face and is a part of a caring and giving team.
-
I tried a few previous law firms and none would take my car accident case with confidence they could get my anything. Phillips law group took my case and although it took around 4 years to get this case settled as I was in treatment, they never let up with insurance adjusters and they got me as much money as possible. They worked hard for me and advocated for me. Shoutout to key individuals who worked my case nonstop of the years, Robert Ross & Jasmine, you are AMAZING!
-
Great company and awesome service. Thanks Caroline fabos. Kudos to all.
-
My Attorney Sean Davis and his paralegal Hannah Dustin worked on my case. They listened to the problems that I was having with my case and they both got right to work. First they found me a doctor that actually listened to my problems from my car accident and worked quickly to form a plan that was comfortable for me and the doctor. The doctor was the best and after a couple of procedures the pain in my neck was gone. Behind the scenes Sean and Hannah were working hard to get my case settled with the insurance company. They kept in contact with me on all aspects of my case. They settled my case much faster than I expected and for more than I was expecting. If you want two real professional legal people to work on your case, I would highly recommend Sean and Hannah to you. I cannot say enough nice things about these two. Thank you so much, Rickey Hart .