A Black teenager named Ralph Yarl was shot by a white homeowner named Andrew Lester after ringing his doorbell by mistake on April 13, 2023.
Ralph Yarl, a 16-year-old high school student, had intended to pick up his brothers that evening but accidentally went to the wrong address and rang the doorbell twice. Andrew Lester, an 84-year-old man, told police officers that he was in bed when he heard his doorbell ring and grabbed a handgun before answering.
Lester has been charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action after allegedly shooting Ralph Yarl in front of his home. Yarl was shot twice, with bullets striking him in the left forehead and right arm.
After spending three nights in the hospital, Yarl has been brought home and is continuing to improve. This incident has shocked the community and raised questions about race relations and gun violence.
