Global Courant 2023-04-17 19:05:14
The investigation into the shooting by a homeowner of a black teen who went to the wrong house to pick up his younger brothers raises questions about whether it was racially motivated, authorities in Kansas City, Mo.
Police are rapidly preparing evidence for prosecutors for Thursday’s shooting, chief Stacey Graves said at a news conference at police headquarters on Sunday.
“I want everyone to know I’m listening,” Graves said, “and I understand the concern we’re getting from the community.”
The Kansas City Star reported that the 16-year-old, who has been identified by relatives online as Ralph Yarl, was hospitalized Thursday night after being shot while trying to pick up his younger twin brothers from a friend’s house. According to the police, he went to the wrong house and was shot there.
Officials would not confirm how many times the homeowner shot the victim or where his injuries were. Police initially said Yarl was stable but had life-threatening injuries. His current condition has not been released, other than that he is stable.
Police have not identified the shooter or his race, although civil rights attorney Ben Crump told The Star the shooter appears to be white. Information officials now have does not indicate that the shooting is racially motivated, but Graves said that aspect is also under investigation.
Investigators will also consider whether or not the suspect was protected by “Stand Your Ground” laws, Graves said.
Wrong street, family member says
Yarl was supposed to pick up his brothers at a friend’s house on 115th Terrace. He eventually called at a house on 115th Street, Faith Spoonmore, the teen’s aunt, wrote online.
A man opened the door, saw Yarl and shot him in the head. When Yarl fell to the ground, the man shot him again. Yarl got up and ran out of the property, but he had to ask at three different houses before someone helped him, Spoonmore wrote.
Kansas City police said they responded around 10 p.m. local time.
Homeowner arrested, released
Graves said on Sunday that the homeowner was taken into custody on Thursday and held for 24 hours. While searching for evidence, detectives found the firearm used. Law enforcement released the suspect pending further investigation after discussions with the Clay County district attorney’s office.
Missouri law allows a person to be held for up to 24 hours for a felony investigation. At that point, the person must be released or arrested and formally charged. To make an arrest, police need a formal victim impact statement, forensic evidence and other information to complete a case file, Graves said.
Due to the teen’s injuries, Graves said, police have been unable to get a victim impact statement.
Neighborhood protest
Mayor Quinton Lucas, who attended the press conference, said police understand the community’s concern that the shooting could be racially motivated. Some members of the police force attended Sunday’s protest near where the shooting took place to listen to community concerns, he said.
“This is not something that has been rejected, marginalized or diminished in any way. This is something that is getting the full attention of the Kansas City Police Department,” Lucas said.
Crump told The Star on Sunday that the family has kept its Florida-based law firm.
“You can’t just shoot people without having a justification if someone comes knocking on your door, and knocking on your door is not a justification,” Crump said. “This man must be charged.”
Crump has represented families in several high-profile cases, including those of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown, as well as Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd.
Crump said the homeowner shot the teen in the head initially and then a second time after the boy fell to the floor. The family has also hired Lee Merritt, a Texas-based civil rights attorney who previously represented the family of Cameron Lamb, who was fatally shot by Kansas City police. Eric De Valkenaere in 2019.
Crump said that judging by what he was told by the teen’s family, the shooter is white.
“It is inevitable not to recognize the racial dynamics at play,” he said.
While Yarl is “doing well physically, he has a long way to go mentally and emotionally,” Spoonmore wrote in a GoFundMe. She started raising money for Yarl’s medical bills and other expenses.
