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The family of Ralph Yarl, the Black teenager who was shot in the head after he accidentally went to the wrong house in Kansas City, is suing the homeowner who opened fire and his homeowners association.
On Monday (April 29), Yarl's family filed a lawsuit in the circuit court of Clay County, Missouri, alleging "careless and negligent conduct" against shooter Andrew Lester and the Highland Acres Homes Association, Inc, per CNN.
“At all times relevant, Plaintiff (Ralph Yarl) never posed or issued a threat to Defendant, Andrew Lester,” the lawsuit reads, noting that the homeowners association “was aware of or should have been aware of Defendant, Andrew Lester’s, propensity for violence, access to dangerous weapons and racial animus.”
Yarl mistakenly went to the wrong address to pick up his siblings in April when he was shot twice by Lester. Lester is facing charges of assault in the first degree and armed criminal action in Yarl's shooting. He has pleaded not guilty and is out on bond with his trial set to begin on October 7.
The homeowner told police that he shot Yarl because he thought the teen was trying to break into his home and he was “scared to death." Yarl said he waited for an extended period of time after ringing the doorbell of the home. Lester eventually opened his door and showed his gun, saying "Don't come here ever again," according to Yarl.
The teen testified that he took his hand off an exterior glass storm door before being shot in the head. Yarl said he fell to the ground and was shot again in the arm.
According to the civil lawsuit, Yarl “suffered and sustained permanent injuries, endured pain and suffering of a temporary and permanent nature, experienced disability and losses of normal life activities, was obligated to spend large sums of money for medical and attention and suffered other losses and damages.”
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