Over 85,000 donations, exceeding $3.1 million have been contributed to a GoFundMe campaign to help pay Ralph Yarl’s medical, college, and other expenses after the Black teen was shot twice when he went to the wrong house in Kansas City, Mo., on April 13 to pick up his younger brothers.
The image of the black teenager lying in a hospital bed with his head bandaged, apparently unconscious, sparked outrage: the alleged shooter, an 84-year-old white man, had fled days before his arrest.
CBS News reported that Andrew Lester will face trial Wednesday (April 19) after being turned over to authorities at the Clay County Detention Center on felony counts of first-degree assault and armed felony.
The charge of assault carries a life sentence. The penalty for an armed offense ranges from 3 to 15 years in prison.
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Police first arrested Lester shortly after the April 13 shooting, but released him a few hours later, prompting protests outside Lester’s home.
Kansas City Police Commissioner Stacey Graves told reporters Sunday (April 16) that Missouri law allows police to hold a crime suspect for a maximum of 24 hours without making a formal arrest.
Yarl, a talented musician and researcher, plans to attend Texas A&M University and earn a degree in chemical engineering, according to his aunt, Faith Spoonmore.
He is a member of his school’s Tech Students League, the Science Olympiad team, and a 2022 Missouri Academy Scholars alumnus.
Yarl, who plays multiple instruments, is a section leader in the school’s marching band and has earned the Missouri All-State Band.
