Charges filed after boy (16) shot at wrong front door
Washington/Kansas City - After the shooting of a 16-year-old black man who rang the wrong doorbell in the US state of Missouri, prosecutors have filed charges against the homeowner.
A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Andrew Lester, a white man over 80 years of age, announced public prosecutor Zachary Thompson at a press conference on Monday (local time).
He is accused of aggravated assault, which can be punished with life imprisonment in Missouri if convicted. He has also been charged with armed criminal action.
The incident took place last Thursday in Kansas City. According to several US media outlets, 16-year-old Ralph Yarl had wanted to pick up his siblings, but probably rang the wrong doorbell by mistake. The homeowner then shot the black teenager. Prosecutor Thompson said that two shots were fired. The boy was hit in the head and arm.
There was a "racist component" to the incident. At the same time, he emphasized that the charging documents do not state that the shots were racially motivated.
Defendant was shocked by the tee-anger
The suspect was initially taken into custody for 24 hours after the crime, but was then released. According to the Washington Post, he told police that the shooting was the last thing he wanted to do - but that he was very scared because of the teenager's size, his own age and his inability to defend himself.
He believed he had to protect himself from a physical confrontation. He was reportedly visibly upset and repeatedly expressed his concern for the victim.
US Vice President Kamala Harris expressed her condolences to the 16-year-old and his family. "No child should ever live in fear of being shot for ringing the wrong doorbell," she wrote on Twitter. The teenager is recovering from the injury, according to US media reports. The fresh case of gun violence in the US sparked protests in Kansas City.
Hundreds of people took to the streets in the city, which borders the state of Kansas, according to CNN.