The family of Ralph Yarl, a teenager who was shot in April 2023 after mistakenly approaching the wrong home in Kansas City, Missouri, is suing the man charged in the shooting for what they claim was careless and negligent behavior. The incident, which stirred national outrage over self-defense laws, led to a seven-page lawsuit filed on Monday in Clay County Circuit Court by Yarl's mother. The lawsuit alleges that Andrew Lester, 85, "carelessly and negligently discharged a loaded firearm at an unarmed minor." Lester, who is White, was charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action in the shooting that injured Yarl, who is Black. He pleaded not guilty in September.
Yarl's family is also suing Lester's homeowners association, Highland Acres Homes Association, arguing that the organization had a duty to exercise reasonable care regarding the use of a firearm on its properties. Lester's attorney, Steven Salmon, stated in an email on Monday afternoon that he is aware of the lawsuit and is evaluating and discussing it with his client. The Highland Acres Homes Association did not immediately respond to The Washington Post's request for comment.
Yarl, who was 16 at the time of the shooting, has sustained injuries that have interfered with his normal activities, according to the lawsuit. His family filed the lawsuit about two weeks after the anniversary of the shooting.
On April 13, 2023, Yarl rang Lester's doorbell, mistaking it for a friend's home about a block away. Lester opened the door and allegedly shot the high-schooler twice — once in the head and once in the arm. Yarl screamed and ran to nearby homes asking for help, ultimately collapsing at the end of a driveway, according to witnesses at the time.
Police arrived after receiving a 911 call, and Lester told officers that he fired his Smith & Wesson .32-caliber revolver because he feared someone was trying to break into his home. He stated that he was "scared to death" after Yarl appeared at the door. The shooting sparked protests for several days, with lawmakers and celebrities expressing support for Yarl.
President Biden called Yarl and invited him to the White House; Vice President Harris said on social media that "no child should ever live in fear of being shot for ringing the wrong doorbell." The incident reignited a debate on self-defense statutes, as Missouri's "stand your ground" and "castle doctrine" laws allow homeowners to use deadly force for self-defense if they believe it is necessary. Experts have noted that homeowners must be able to prove that an active threat existed.
In the criminal case against Lester, his attorney has argued that he was acting in self-defense and that there is no evidence to suggest race was a factor. Lester faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment for the first-degree assault charge and up to 15 years for the armed criminal action charge. The trial is scheduled to begin on October 7.