Ralph Yarl: Black teenager shot in head for knocking on wrong door walks at charity event

A 17-year-old boy, who was shot in the head after he accidentally knocked on the wrong door, walked at a brain injury event.

Ralph Yarl, had been trying to pick up his younger brothers when he got confused and went to the wrong house, in Kansas City, Missouri, at around 10pm on April 13.

It is alleged, Andrew Lester, 84, came to the door and shot Ralph in the forehead, then shot him again in the right arm.

After four days in hospital, Ralph returned home and began recovering from the traumatic brain injury.

On Monday, he walked with family, friends and other brain injury survivors at Going the Distance for Brain Injury - a yearly event in Kansas City, Missouri.

Ahead of the race, Ralph's mother, Cleo Nagbe, said: “It takes a community. It takes a family. It takes a support group, all of that.

“Let’s raise more awareness to stop the things that cause brain injuries and should not be causing them, especially gun violence."

Around 1,000 people raced through Loose Park in the city.

Many registered to be part of “Team Ralph,” and wore neon green t-shirts, said Robin Abramowitz, executive director of the Brain Injury Association of Kansas and Greater Kansas City.

“It’s important for Ralph to see that he is not alone,” Faith Spoonmore, Ralph's aunt, said.

Ms Spoonmore said that her nephew, who was previously described as “an excellent student and talented musician”, has debilitating migraines and issues with balance.

She added he is also struggling with his emotions, mood changes, and the trauma of the shooting.

Lester has pleaded not guilty to first-degree assault and armed criminal action - he is accused of shooting Ralph twice.

The alleged assault drew worldwide attention and demonstrations were held in Kansas City in the wake of the shooting.

Ralph has received an outpouring of support, from people in Kansas to celebrities including Halle Berry, Justin Timberlake, and Naomi Campbell.

Just days after, the home where the attack took place had been egged and a heart with “16” - Ralph's age at the time of the shooting - in the middle was sprayed on the walls.

Lawyer Ben Crump, who has represented families in several high-profile cases of violence on black people, including Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd, questioned why the shooter was not arrested and charged immediately.

He said: “We all believe that if the roles were reversed and this was a black citizen who shot a 16-year-old for merely ringing his doorbell, they would have arrested him, and he wouldn’t have slept in his bed that night.”

Lester is scheduled to be in court on Thursday, June 1.

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