Community rallies for Missouri teen shot after ringing wrong doorbell
KANSAS CITY, Miss. (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - Community members in Kansas City are demanding justice after a 16-year-old Ralph Yarl was shot last week after ringing the wrong doorbell.
Police say that Yarl went to pick up his siblings Thursday and ended up at the wrong address. As of now, he remains in the hospital in stable condition.
"We are telling a story that is different from the stories you normally hear. He is alive and he is healing," said Faith Spoonmore, Yarl's aunt.
A 16-year-olds family is thankful he is alive, but they are standing among hundreds in the community Sunday, making their voice heard and presence known, taking a step towards justice up to the home where Yarl was shot twice.
"It gave me sickening feeling I just kept looking back at the house," said Dee Porter, Protest Organizer for the People's Coalition.
Justice Gatson, Director and Founder of Reale Justice Network, echoed similar thoughts saying, "As a mother of 3 children thus enrages me."
Speaking from a place of pain
Community members say they are speaking from a place of pain, crying out for answers a community praying for Yarl's family and peace, not stopping until they get justice.
"I realize that justice doesn't come over night. But that fact that there is a kid in the hospital, and everything I read says not even a charge has been done, that concerns me," said Karen Allman, homeowner who lives in the neighborhood where Yarl was shot.
Porter also added, "Just hold this man accountable, and you see that community came out and supported we are a community if one of our children is shot killed we all are here."
The chair of the Missouri Legislative Black Caucus released a statement on the shooting that reads, in part:
"Once again, the state of Missouri has witnessed the shooting of an unarmed black, male teenager. This time because he knocked on the wrong door while picking up his siblings. The Kansas City Police Department must work quickly to investigate this crime with full public transparency and bring the perpetrator to justice."
The Kansas City, Missouri Police Department says that it's "thoroughly" investigating the incident.
