Andrew D Lester is charged with assault in the first degree and armed criminal action’ The homeowner who allegedly shot a Missouri teenager in the head and arm has been charged after widespread public outrage and scrutiny.
The defendant, Andrew D. Lester, faces a count each of assault in the first degree and armed criminal action. Clay County Prosecutor Zachary Thompson said in a press conference Monday that the first charge presents a possible punishment of life in prison. (The prosecutor gave Lester’s age as 85 but documents and online records indicate he’s 84.)
Andrew D Lester is charged with assault in the first degree and armed criminal action
Andrew D Lester is charged with assault in the first degree and armed criminal action
Authorities said Lester is the man who shot Ralph Yarl, 16, twice. The victim’s aunt previously said that the teenager, who did not have his phone, went to Lester’s home by mistake on Thursday night. He had meant to go to a friend’s nearby home to pick up his twin younger brothers.
“He pulled into the driveway and rang the doorbell,” his aunt, Faith Spoonmore, said on the GoFundMe campaign page. “The man in the home opened the door, looked my nephew in the eye, and shot him in the head. My nephew fell to the ground, and the man shot him again. Ralph was then able to get up and run to the neighbour’s house, looking for help. Unfortunately, he had to run to 3 different homes before someone finally agreed to help him after he was told to lie on the ground with his hands up.”
Authorities did not initially charge Lester, saying that further investigative processes — including trying to take a statement from Yarl and processing forensic evidence — were necessary. Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves said Sunday that the homeowner was put on a 24-hour hold for a felony investigation but had to be released under state law if there were not any charges.
