[arista]

[Kansas City man, 85, is charged with
first-degree assault and armed criminal action
in shooting of 16-year-old who
mistakenly knocked on his door:
Prosecutor claims there WAS 'racial component'
in the case

Ralph Yarl, 16, was shot in the head on Thursday
night when he knocked on
Andrew Lester's door - mistakenly thinking
his siblings were there
Prosecutors in Clay County, Missouri,
announced two felony counts would be
filed against Lester following the
shooting on April 13
Lester, 85, faces up to life in prison
for the first-degree assault]



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...alph-Yarl.html



Sign Of The Times.

[Mystic Mock]

Hopefully this guy has charges pressed against him.

And hopefully the kid can make a recovery.

[Niamh.]

I hope the boy makes it through with no lasting damage

[Cherie]

Awful case, shooting someone for just knocking on your door

[arista]

Originally Posted by Cherie

Awful case, shooting someone for just knocking on your door

Wrong home
and he was Black.

[bitontheslide]

Originally Posted by arista

Wrong home
and he was Black.

so, don't answer the door.

[arista]

Originally Posted by bitontheslide

so, don't answer the door.

He is 85
so will open the door every time

But he had a Gun ready at all times

[Liam-]

Originally Posted by arista

Wrong home
and he was Black.

A death sentence in America

[arista]

Originally Posted by Liam-

A death sentence in America

Yes Liam
at this time

Sadly True

[GoldHeart]

Originally Posted by Cherie

Awful case, shooting someone for just knocking on your door

That's America, they're so trigger happy it's disturbing.

[LeatherTrumpet]

I would wager the elderly man is not mentally efficient

[Soldier Boy]

Honestly we often think of the US and UK as being similar but the idea of people opening their front door with a gun in their hand in this country is so unthinkable ... yet it's a cultural norm in the states (or many of them, anyway). I doubt anything will ever meaningfully change though.

[Soldier Boy]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

I would wager the elderly man is not mentally efficient

Makes it all the more concerning that he was just kicking around at home with deadly weapons.

[bitontheslide]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

I would wager the elderly man is not mentally efficient

it's a perfect storm. Guns readily available, a confused old man, and a youth making a mistake .... boom

[arista]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

I would wager the elderly man is not mentally efficient

Or, he just does not trust blacks

[thesheriff443]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

I hope the boy makes it through with no lasting damage

He was released from hospital after four days.

[thesheriff443]

10 at night someone knocking on your door would be scary for an old man
Without out the racist element he would not be getting prosecuted

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by thesheriff443

He was released from hospital after four days.

that's good news

Originally Posted by thesheriff443

10 at night someone knocking on your door would be scary for an old man
Without out the racist element he would not be getting prosecuted

wth?? I bloody hope he'd be prosecuted if it was a white guy he shot for knocking on his door as well

[thesheriff443]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

that's good news



wth?? I bloody hope he'd be prosecuted if it was a white guy he shot for knocking on his door as well

It’s American, their laws are very different from ours, one stand out one is the right to legally own fire arms

[Oliver_W]

Originally Posted by thesheriff443

10 at night someone knocking on your door would be scary for an old man
Without out the racist element he would not be getting prosecuted

Not so sure. There's no justification for just shooting.

If he was waiting by the door, gun at the ready, it'd be somewhat "understandable" but a knock at the door isn't provocation.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by thesheriff443

It’s American, their laws are very different from ours, one stand out one is the right to legally own fire arms

Even in America it's not ok to shoot someone for knocking on your door Sheriff, come on.

[Soldier Boy]

Originally Posted by thesheriff443

It’s American, their laws are very different from ours, one stand out one is the right to legally own fire arms

If the kid had ENTERED his house or was trying to force the door open then he would likely not be prosecuted, but even in the US you can't shoot someone just for walking up to a door and knocking on it.

[bitontheslide]

Mr Lester has not been charged with a hate crime, and charging documents do not describe the alleged racial bias.

At a press conference on Monday, Clay County Prosecutor Zachary Thompson said: "My message to the community is that, in Clay County, we enforce the laws and we follow the laws.

"That doesn't matter where you come from, what you look like or how much money you have."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-65307047

[Soldier Boy]

Even at that it's crazy though - one time as (very drunk, very confused) students me and my (now) wife and several other friends somehow ended up trying to get into the wrong house after a night out, confused about why we couldn't open the door, hammering on it and shouting ...

... in the US someone would probably have come out blastin'.

We were just very drunk and at the wrong door! If anything the taxi driver was to blame.

[Vanessa]

If you're scared you don't open the door. Simple.