An 86-year-old man from Kansas City, Missouri, has pleaded guilty to second-degree assault in connection with the shooting of Ralph Yarl, a teenager who mistakenly went to the wrong address.
Andrew Lester agreed to the lesser charge as part of a plea deal on Friday, with his trial set to begin next week.
In April 2023, 16-year-old Ralph Yarl rang Lester’s doorbell while attempting to pick up his younger brothers. Prosecutors stated that Lester shot the teenager without speaking to him. Yarl survived the attack. This incident was one of several cases of unarmed people being shot due to address confusion, sparking debates over “stand your ground” laws in certain U.S. states that allow the use of deadly force to prevent harm.
The case sparked protests and drew attention from civil rights and racial justice advocates, who argued that race played a role in the shooting, as Ralph is Black and Lester is white. Initially, police suggested a racial component to the shooting, but Lester was not charged with a hate crime.
Lester and his attorneys claimed that he acted in self-defense, believing that Yarl was attempting to break into his home. In a court appearance in 2023, Lester had pleaded not guilty to the charges of assault and armed criminal action. He faced a life sentence if convicted, but the plea deal has led to a sentencing date of March 7, where he could face up to seven years in prison.
The Yarl family expressed hope that the sentencing would reflect the severity of the crime, rather than a light punishment. Ralph Yarl, who later graduated from high school, told authorities that he had been sent by his mother to pick up his siblings late that evening. He mistakenly went to the wrong address, confusing Northeast 115th Street with Northeast 115th Terrace, which led him to Lester’s house.
After ringing the doorbell, Yarl was shot twice—once in the forehead and once in the arm. He managed to flee and seek help from nearby homes. Initially, Lester was questioned by police and released without charges, which led to protests in Kansas City. He later turned himself in after an arrest warrant was issued.
Ralph Yarl is expected to deliver a victim impact statement at the sentencing hearing. The case became one of many in 2023 where gun violence occurred in response to minor mistakes, sparking nationwide conversations about racial justice and stand-your-ground laws. Prominent figures, including Halle Berry, Kerry Washington, and Jennifer Hudson, supported the protests, highlighting concerns about gun violence, particularly against Black individuals.
