A 16-year-old high school junior was shot in Missouri after attempting to pick up his siblings from the wrong residence, in what authorities believe to be a case of mistaken identity. The incident occurred on the evening of April 13 in Kansas City when the teenager, Ralph Yarl, mistakenly went to a house on N.E. 115th Street instead of the intended address on N.E. 115th Terrace.
Yarl was transported to a local hospital following the shooting and was reported to be in stable condition as of Sunday afternoon. The homeowner, whose identity has not been disclosed, was taken to the police station. However, he has since been released until police complete their investigation of the shooting.
Civil rights attorneys S. Lee Merritt and Benjamin Crump issued a joint statement identifying the victim as Ralph Yarl, a Black teenager. The statement expressed relief that Yarl survived the shooting and is in recovery, despite the severity of his injuries.
In response to the incident, nearly 1,000 people gathered on Sunday to march in support of Yarl near the location of the shooting. Ralph’s father, Paul Yarl, described his son as a quiet young man who enjoys playing video games and the saxophone.
Paul Yarl shared his desire for the prosecutor to press charges against the homeowner, emphasizing the need to prevent any similar incidents from taking place in the future.