Share this @internewscast.com

A Black teenager who was shot in the head by a white homeowner in Missouri after mistakenly ringing the wrong doorbell has secured a spot in the all-state band months after the shooting.

Last week, North Kansas City Schools publicized in a Facebook post that Ralph Yarl was one of four students in the area to earn the prestigious recognition. Yarl plays bass clarinet and was named second chair in the all-state band, according to the post.

“Bravo to Eliza Cockrell and Stephen Kwon from Northtown, and Ralph Yarl and Carter Walters from Staley! They’ve earned a spot in the 2024 Missouri All State Orchestra or Band and will perform at the Missouri Music Educators Association annual conference in January at Margaritaville Lake Resort in Lake of the Ozarks,” the statement read.

Yarl’s family could not be immediately reached for comment Tuesday night.

Then-16-year-old Yarl was trying to pick up his brothers from a friend’s home on the night of April 13 and had gone to the wrong Kansas City address when Andrew Lester shot him  through the door, officials said.

Yarl was picking up his brothers from a home at Northeast 115th Terrace but mistakenly went to Northeast 115th Street, just a block away. Yarl said his alleged attacker only said a few words to him.

“He only said five words: ‘Don’t come here ever again,’” he recalled in a June interview with ABC News.

Yarl’s shooting garnered national headlines and sparked a dialogue about the treatment of Black people.

Yarl told ABC News that he was surprised when he was confronted by an older man with a gun.

“I hear the door open. I see this old man and I’m assuming, ‘Oh, this must be like their grandpa,’ and then he pulls out his gun and I’m like, whoa!” Yarl said.

“So I back up. He points it at me. So I kind of like, brace and I turn my head. I’m thinking, there’s no way he’s actually going to shoot, right? The door (isn’t) even open. He’s going to shoot through his glass door and glass is going get everywhere? And then it happened.”

After being shot, Yarl said he fell on some shattered glass, but then mustered up the strength to run away and yell for help.

During the June interview, Yarl also said he was suffering lingering effects that included his mind feeling hazy.

“There are a lot of things going on inside my head that are not normal,” he said. “Sometimes my mind is just foggy, like, I can’t concentrate on the things that would be easy for me to do.”

In August, Yarl testified in court that after being shot in the head, he fell to the ground and was shot again in the arm.

That same month, a judge ordered Lester to stand trial. He faces charges of first-degree assault and armed criminal action, to which he has pleaded not guilty.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Savannah Guthrie's mother Nancy possibly abducted from her home, authorities say

Urgent Search Underway: Savannah Guthrie’s Mother Feared Abducted from Her Residence

TUCSON, Ariz. – In a deeply concerning development, Arizona authorities have reported…
Boil order in effect in Dixmoor as water main break fixed at 139th between Dixie Highway and Thornton Road

Dixmoor Boil Order Issued After Water Main Break Repair at 139th & Dixie Highway

In the early hours of Monday morning, residents of south suburban Dixmoor,…
Knicks’ Landry Shamet delivers another 3-point barrage in win vs. Lakers

Landry Shamet’s Three-Point Masterclass Leads Knicks to Victory Over Lakers

Landry Shamet’s place on this year’s Knicks roster was far from assured.…
The Grammys bring more celebrity pushback to the Trump administration's immigration crackdown

Bad Bunny and Leading Music Icons Leverage Grammys Stage to Address Trump’s Immigration Policies

The entertainment industry finds itself at a crossroads as awards season unfolds…
Members of international organized residential burglary ring arrested after posing as Amazon drivers, Irvine, CA break-in | Video

Homicide Investigation Launched After Courtney Drysdale Found Deceased at The Line Bar in Momence, IL, Confirms Kankakee Sheriff

An investigation into a suspected homicide has been launched after a woman…
Rising ISIS threats to US homeland drive AFRICOM airstrikes against terrorists in Somalia

Escalating ISIS Threats Prompt Strategic AFRICOM Airstrikes in Somalia: Safeguarding the U.S. Homeland

EXCLUSIVE TO FOX: The United States is intensifying its aerial strikes and…
Massachusetts man using blowtorch on roof to melt ice sets home on fire

Massachusetts Home Catches Fire After Resident Uses Blowtorch to Clear Ice

In an unexpected turn of events, a Massachusetts resident inadvertently set his…
Trump admin labels Israel 'model US ally' ahead of major military aid talks

Trump Administration Hails Israel as ‘Model Ally’ Amid Crucial Military Aid Negotiations

Last week, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth unveiled the 2026 National Defense…
Lane Bryant shooting: Tinley Park murders of 5 women remain unsolved 18 years later

Unresolved Tragedy: Tinley Park’s Lane Bryant Murders Still a Mystery After 18 Years

This Monday marked the somber 18th anniversary of a tragic event that…
Trump Wants No Changes to Government Funding Bill

Trump Advocates for Status Quo in Government Funding Legislation

President Donald Trump announced on Monday his desire to maintain the integrity…
Gaza’s Rafah border crossing partially reopens under ceasefire deal

Rafah Border in Gaza Begins Limited Reopening Amid Ceasefire Agreement

The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt has partially reopened, marking…
Iran stages Khamenei photos to mask cracks in IRGC, opposition groups say

Opposition Groups Claim Iran Uses Khamenei Imagery to Conceal Divisions Within IRGC

Trump ramping up pressure on Iran as tensions grow Reporting from West…