Ralph Yarl is home after being severely wounded late last week. As previously reported by REVOLT, the 16-year-old was attempting to pick up his younger brothers from a nearby home on Thursday (April 13) night when he accidentally went to the wrong address. After ringing the doorbell, a white homeowner allegedly shot the Black teen in his head and arm.
According to local news station Fox 4, Paul Yarl confirmed that his son has been released from the hospital and is now continuing to recover. The man who allegedly shot Ralph has since been released from custody, prompting a massive protest over the weekend and social media outrage. “In this case, the prosecutor requires more information from investigators that would take more than 24 hours to compile,” Kansas City Police Department Chief Stacey Graves claimed on Sunday (April 16). “We want the community to know that we are committed to justice in this case and every case and work every day to seek that justice for all victims of all crimes,” she added.
At the time of the shooting, the teen reportedly left his phone at home and did not have GPS to help him navigate the quick errand. His younger brothers were in the 1100 block of Northeast 115th Terrace, but Ralph confused that home for a residence in the 1100 block of Northeast 115th Street. Missouri councilman Brandon Ellington said there’s “no justification for mistakenly shooting someone, let alone a child.” He continued, “Failure to prosecute in this case would appear to be misconduct even though prosecutors have discretion.”
Ralph’s aunt, Faith Spoonmore, previously gave an update, saying, “My nephew is alive, and he is healing. It is not the story that, that individual intended for us to tell. We are telling a story that is different from the stories that you normally hear.” Supporters were thankful to hear about his release. One person who shared the good news argued that “our outrage, fury, and rage must not stop. We must demand justice for Ralph Yarl — being Black shouldn’t have to be a crime in America.” Another wrote, “Thank you, God! Praying for continued healing.”
See related tweets below.