A lawsuit has been filed against an 85-year-old man in Kansas City, Missouri, who shot a 16-year-old boy in the head over a year ago, alleging the shooting was unprovoked and racially motivated.
The lawsuit, filed in Clay County Circuit Court on Monday, targets Andrew Lester and his homeowners association for the life-altering incident.
According to court documents, the boy, identified as Ralph Yarl, was shot multiple times after mistakenly ringing Lester’s doorbell while trying to bring his brothers home from a nearby friend’s house.
The lawsuit claims that Yarl posed no threat and was shot without warning or provocation by Lester.
Yarl suffered severe injuries, both physically and psychologically, as a result of the shooting, leading to permanent disabilities and substantial medical expenses.
The plaintiff, Cleo Nagbe, who is suing on behalf of her son, alleges that the homeowners association should also be held accountable.
The lawsuit suggests that the association knew or should have known about Lester’s propensity for violence and racial animus towards Yarl, who is Black.
Attorney S. Lee Merritt, representing the plaintiff, spoke about the racial aspect of the case, stating that Yarl was shot by a white man who didn’t want him on his property, and that the second shot was fired for emphasis.
Lester, in a 911 call, admitted to shooting Yarl out of fear of a home break-in.
Lester is currently facing charges of first-degree assault and armed criminal action, with the trial scheduled for October.
