Just before 10 P.M. April 17, 16-year-old Ralph Yarl received two shots to his head and arm. Thankfully, doctors expect Yarl to make a full recovery. But concerns arise regarding justice for this young man.

Yarl’s family sent him to pick up his two younger brothers from their friend’s house. Unfortunately, he mixed up the two addresses and appeared at a house on Northeast 115 Street, instead of Northeast 115th Terrace. A White man opened the door and shot Yarl in the head and as he bled out, the white man shot him in the arm. Miraculously, Yarl made his way to a nearby home and lay there while someone dialed 911.

The shooter, identified as Andrew D. Lester, found himself in custody April 14 and was released within 24 hours. This information angered the community and protesters marched on Lester’s home Sunday, April 16. Monday, April 17, the authorities submitted the case to the Clay County prosecuting attorney’s office. Prosecutor Zachary Thompson agreed that a racial component existed but said his office did not file hate crime charges because, in Missouri, they carry a lower range of punishment than the other felonies pursued.

“Ralph Yarl definitely deserves justice because his killer had no motive behind shooting him. He’s an innocent child and people mix up houses all the time. Ralph Yarl nearly lost his life and this case should have received more attention from Americans,” junior Savannah Bywaters said.

Lester told police that he had fallen asleep when his doorbell rang, so he picked up his gun and went to the door, according to the probable cause statement. He saw Yarl attempting to open the door and shot twice through the glass door because he thought Yarl wanted to break into his residence. Lester surrendered at the Clay County sheriff’s office and received two felony charges.

Lee Merritt, the lawyer representing Yarl’s family, met with Clay County prosecutor Thompson Tuesday, April 18 and later spoke at a protest. Merritt told protesters the fact that he felt the prosecutors did not take the case seriously since they only detained Lester for 24 hours. Tuesday April 19, Lester pleaded not guilty to shooting Yarl.

“Ralph Yarl was shot because he was armed with nothing, other than his Black skin. Should that qualify as a hate crime? We think so. … that kind of Missouri statute doesn’t exist. So I think it’s appropriate that we’re in front of the federal courthouse because we need new legislation to protect Blackness in this country because Blackness is under attack,” Meritt said.