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
Son of Norway’s crown princess arrested before his trial on rape and other charges

Norwegian Royal Turmoil: Crown Princess’s Son Arrested Ahead of High-Profile Rape Trial

Reported by KOSTYA MANENKOV and GEIR MOULSON, Associated Press OSLO, Norway (AP)…
Flagler County paramedic found guilty of sexual battery, state attorney says

Ex-Paramedic Sentenced to Prison for Sexual Assault on Unconscious Patient During Ambulance Ride

In a troubling case that has drawn significant attention, James Melady, a…
ICE arrests over 650 illegal aliens across West Virginia with state, local police backing

ICE, in collaboration with state and local authorities, detains over 650 undocumented immigrants in West Virginia operation

In a sweeping two-week initiative across West Virginia, Immigration and Customs Enforcement…
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…
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…
Savannah Guthrie's mother reported missing from Arizona home, authorities say

Urgent Search Underway: Savannah Guthrie’s Mother Missing from Arizona Residence

Authorities are currently unsure whether foul play is involved in her disappearance,…
Welfare Reform Boost: More States Enforce New 80-Hour SNAP Rules

New SNAP Requirements: States Implement 80-Hour Work Rule for Benefits

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP, has long been…
Dixmoor water main break at 139th between Dixie and Thornton impacts over half of residents: Village President Fitzgerald Roberts

Urgent Alert: Major Dixmoor Water Main Break Disrupts Over Half of Village Residents – Key Details Inside

A significant water main break in Dixmoor, Illinois, is affecting over half…
clashes with demonstrators following a march in support of Askatasuna, a left-wing social centre that was evicted by authorities in Turin, Italy, Jan. 31, 2026.

Anarchist-Led Riots in Italy Leave Over 100 Police Injured: Prime Minister Meloni Denounces Escalating Violence

Anarchists violently clash with police in Turin, Italy In a dramatic confrontation…
Viral video: couple's snowy dance in downtown Raleigh captures hearts

Charming Dance in Raleigh’s Snowy Streets Becomes Internet Sensation

RALEIGH, N.C. — A couple has become the talk of the town…
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…
Morning Minute: Don't Drive Angry!

Morning Minute: Stay Calm Behind the Wheel!

Monday, February 2, 2026 Good morning and welcome to RedState’s “Morning Minute.”…