A Kansas City man who pleaded guilty last week to shooting a Black teenager when he mistakenly rang his doorbell in 2023 has died, according to a Clay County prosecutor.
Andrew Lester, 86, was awaiting sentencing on second-degree assault charges for the April 2023 shooting in which he shot Ralph Yarl when the 16-year-old showed up at his house believing it was where he needed to pick up his siblings. Yarl survived and has since graduated high school.
Before pleading guilty, Lester's case would have gone to trial next week after the court found him mentally capable of proceeding following an evaluation.
The retiree originally faced two felony charges — first-degree assault and armed criminal action — to which he pleaded not guilty. Those charges were dropped.
Lester was in a wheelchair when he appeared in court and entered his plea, the Kansas City Star reported. During the hearing, Lester said his health wasn’t great but that he understood the proceedings, according to the outlet.
Details of Lester’s death have not been released.
The case gained attention across the nation, with many questioning the role of race in the shooting.
Yarl ended up at the home of Lester, who is white, because he did not have his phone and couldn’t remember the exact address he was given to pick up his twin siblings, the teen previously said in court.
As Lester opened his house’s inner door, Yarl reached for the storm door, thinking the homeowners were his “brothers’ friends’ parents,” he told the court. That’s when Lester shot Yarl in the head, telling the teen, “Don’t come here ever again.” The bullet did not hit his brain, but knocked him to the ground. Moments later, he shot Yarl again, hitting him in the arm.
Afterward, Yarl said he ran to escape “being shot again,” seeking help from neighbors and asking one of them to call the police, according to court documents reviewed by the Kansas City Star.
Lester told police that he went to the front door armed after hearing the doorbell go off and that he was “scared to death” when he saw Yarl due to his size, according to court documents.
He thought someone was trying to break into his home and shot twice within a few seconds of opening the door, according to court documents. No words were exchanged between the two before he fired, he said.
Yarl’s family issued the following statement to Fox4KC following the news of his death: “The news of Andrew Lester’s passing brings a mix of emotions, but it does not bring justice. One of the reasons we pushed for a speedy trial was to ensure the public would see that our society does not condone shooting an unarmed, innocent child simply for ringing the wrong doorbell—especially when that child was targeted because of the color of his skin.
“For nearly two years, Andrew Lester never apologized. Instead, he and his attorney used every legal maneuver possible to delay accountability. Now, another Black child harmed by prejudice will never see the man who shot him face the full weight of the justice system. While Lester finally admitted guilt, it came at the very last moment—after two years of stalling. That delay leaves our family reeling.
“Some may see Lester’s passing as a form of consequence for his actions, but the reality remains: Ralph Yarl survived, yet justice was never truly served. He has a lifetime ahead to carry the trauma of that night while the man responsible escaped sentencing.
“We remain committed to seeking a world where no child fears for their life because of their race and no family has to endure what we have. Ralph’s story is far from over, and neither is our fight for justice.”
