Ralph Yarl forgot his phone.
His parents had asked the 16-year-old to pick up his little brothers at their friend’s house on Thursday night, so he headed to the address he thought they’d given him.
When the honor student arrived at N.E. 115th St. in Kansas City, Mo., he pulled in the driveway and walked up to the front door to get his younger twin brothers.
The boy described as “well-mannered” and a “kind soul” rang the bell.
Ralph fell to the ground “and the man shot him again,” his aunt, Dr. Faith Spoonmore, wrote in aGoFundMeto raise money for her nephew’s medical expenses. (Kansas City police have not confirmed how many times Ralph was shot, and they have not confirmed the race of the shooter.)
Ralph had no idea he had gone to the wrong house. He’d gone to N.E. 115th St. instead of N.E. 115th Terrace, police said,Fox 4reports.
Somehow, “Ralph was then able to get up and run to the neighbor’s house, looking for help,” Spoonmore wrote.
“Unfortunately, he had to run to 3 different homes before someone finally agreed to help him after he was told to lie on the ground with his hands up,” she wrote.
Now the teen, who is a section leader in his high school band and has dreams of attending Texas A&M University, is fighting for his life at a local hospital after sustaining life-threatening injuries, say police.
The homeowner, whose identity has not been made public, was taken into custody and placed on a 24-hour investigative hold.
Ralph Yarl.Go Fund Me
“After consulting with the Clay County prosecutor’s office, the homeowner was released pending further investigation due to the need to obtain a formal statement from the victim, forensic evidence and compile additional information for a case file to be presented,” Graves said.
Investigators will get a formal statement from Ralph “as the teen’s injuries allow,” she said.
A person can be held up to 24 hours for investigation of a felony, she said. After 24 hours, law mandates the person to be charged or released, she said.
In this case, the prosecutor, “requires more information from investigators that would take more than 24 hours to compile,” she said.
“We realize the frustration working as expeditiously as we can to ensure the criminal justice process,” she said.
‘Ringing a Doorbell Is Not a Crime’
Frustration — and anger — are mounting in Kansas City and all over the country.
Protesters have taken to social media – and to the streets – demanding “justice for Ralph” and carrying signs stating, “Ringing a doorbell is not a crime” and “The shooter should do the time,” according to CNN affiliateKMBC.
On Sunday, dozens of protesters gathered outside of the home of the man who shot Ralph, demanding he be charged.
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Celebrities including Halle Berry, Questlove,Justin Timberlakeand others are weighing in.
“His name is #Ralph Yarl and I’m sick and tired of this feeling,” she wrote on Twitter. “My heart completely broke when I learned this precious 16-year-old, who accidentally rang the door of the wrong address in an attempt to pick up his siblings, was shot in the head.”
Questlove, who helped the Yarl family retain high-profile attorneys Lee Merritt and Ben Crump, wrote, “I was a Ralph. We were all Ralph.
“A young Black boy HAS THE RIGHT to accidentally go to 115th Street instead of 115th Terrace WITHOUT BEING SHOT. Period.”
In a statement released Monday, Merritt and Ben Crump criticized law enforcement for releasing the homeowner.
“There is no excuse for the release of this armed and dangerous suspect after admitting to shooting an unarmed,non-threatening and defenseless teenager that rang his doorbell.
“We demand swift action from Clay County prosecutors and law enforcement to identify, arrest and prosecute to the full extent of the law the man responsible for this horrendous and unjustifiable shooting.”
A Talented Musician, a ‘Kind Soul’
Spoonmore said she and her family are grateful that he survived the shooting.
“We are telling a story that is different from the stories you normally hear,” she said,according to KSHB. “He is alive and he is healing.”
In her touching GoFundMe post, which has raised more than $1 million, Spoonmore wrote, “Ralph Paul Yarl is a fantastic kid, and I am not just saying this because he is my nephew. He truly is. At school, he is a member of the Technology Student Association and Science Olympia Team. Jazz and competition band. He is a section leader in the marching band; a scholar and one of the top base (sic) clarinet players in Missouri. He recently earned Missouri All-State Band recognition with an honorable mention. He plays multiple instruments in the metropolitan youth orchestra. He is a 2022 Missouri scholar academy alumni. Ralph can often be found with a musical instrument. He loves them all.”
Last summer, Spoonmore continued, “Ralph attended Missouri Scholar’s Academy, where he got a full college life experience. His goal is to attend Texas A&M to major in chemical Engineering. When asked how he plans to get into this university, he said, ‘Well, if they have a scholarship for music or academics, I know I can get it.'”
Spoonmore continued: “Ralph’s teacher and friends describe him as ‘a kind soul,’ ‘quiet,’ ‘friendly,’ ‘well-mannered,’ ‘always willing to help,’ ‘super smart,’ and a ‘musical genius.'”
According to the page, the teen was looking forward to graduating from high school “and finally getting the opportunity to visit West Africa before starting college,” Spoonmore wrote.
Spoonmore added: “Life looks a lot different right now. Even though he is doing well physically, he has a long road ahead mentally and emotionally. The trauma that he has to endure and survive is unimaginable. He is our miracle. We have heard these types of stories many times, and unfortunately, most black boys are not alive to get another chance.
“Ralph deserves to have the future that he has dreams about. He deserves to be the light that shows the world that LOVE wins and that humanity is still Good.”
As Ralph recovers, police are continuing to investigate.
Detectives processed the scene on Thursday night and recovered the firearm, Graves said.
“We want the community to know that we are committed to justice in this case and every case, and work every day to seek that justice for all victims of the crime,” added Graves.
“I want everyone to know that I am listening and I understand the concern we are receiving from the community,” Graves said.
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source: people.com
