Family Of Black Teen Shot After Ringing Wrong Doorbell Sues Gunman, HOA

The mother of a Black teenager who was shot after mistakenly ringing the wrong doorbell is suing the homeowners association and gunman involved in the incident.

Ralph Yarl was 16 when he was shot in the head and arm by Andrew Lester, a white man, in Kansas City, Missouri, as he was picking up his twin younger brothers in April 2023. Yarl survived the encounter and continues his recovery after spending several days in the hospital.

His mother, Cleopatra Nagbe, on Monday filed a civil lawsuit in the circuit court of Clay County, Missouri, against Lester and the residential homeowners association where the shooting took place. In the seven-page court filing, Lester and the Highland Acres Homes Association are accused of “careless and negligent conduct.”

As a result of their actions, the suit claims, the teenager “suffered and sustained permanent injuries, endured pain and suffering of a temporary and permanent nature, experienced disability and losses of normal life activities, was obligated to spend large sums of money for medical care and attention and suffered other losses and damages.”

The document states Yarl “never posed or issued a threat” to Lester, and that the association “was aware of or should have been aware of Defendant, Andrew Lester’s, propensity for violence, access to dangerous weapons and racial animus.”

The lawsuit was first reported by CNN.

Lester, 85, has pleaded not guilty to criminal charges of first-degree assault and armed criminal action. His trial is set for Oct. 7.

Yarl told police Lester shot at him once through his glass front door and again when the boy was already on the ground. Lester defended his actions by claiming he feared for his life.

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