CNN
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A teenage girl in Kansas City, Missouri, was shot and killed by the homeowner after she mistakenly went to the wrong house to pick up her siblings, police said Sunday.
Officers responded to reports of a shooting late in the evening On April 13, a homeowner arrived to find a teenager shot to death, according to Kansas City police.
Dean was taken to a local hospital, where he was listed in stable condition Sunday, police said.
Police learned the teenager’s parents asked him to pick up his siblings at an address on 115th Terrace, but he accidentally drove to a home on 115th Street, where he was shot, police said.
Civil rights attorneys retained by the victim and her family S. According to a joint report by Lee Merritt and Benjamin Crump, the teenager was identified as Ralph Yarl, a 16-year-old high school junior.
“Despite the severity of his injuries and the seriousness of his condition, Ralph is alive and recovering,” prosecutors said in the statement.
The homeowner — who has not been identified — was taken into custody and held for 24 hours, then released pending further investigation due to the need to obtain a formal statement from the victim and gather additional forensic evidence, Kansas City Police Chief. Stacy Graves said at a news conference Sunday.
Under Missouri state law, a person can be held for up to 24 hours pending a felony trial, during which time they must either be charged or released, Graves said at the press conference.
Sunday’s shooting sparked protests in Kansas City, with hundreds gathering outside the home where Yarl was shot, a CNN affiliate reported. KSHB.
The family of a teenager who was shot dead after walking into the wrong house is speaking out
Demonstrators marched chanting “Justice for Ralph” and “Black Lives Matter” and carried signs that read “Ringing the doorbell is not a crime” and “Shooter should do time,” footage from the CNN affiliate showed. KMBC shows.
“We demand swift action from Clay County prosecutors and law enforcement officials to identify, arrest and prosecute the person responsible for this brutal and unjustified shooting to the fullest extent of the law,” a statement from victim advocates said.
Asked if the shooting could be racially motivated, the police chief said, “The information we have now does not suggest that it was racially motivated. It is still under active investigation. But as the chief of police, I recognize the racial elements of this case.
Graves tried to reassure the Kansas City community on Sunday that the police department is committed to bringing justice to the case.
“We recognize the frustration this can cause in the entire criminal justice process. The men and women of the Kansas City Police Department are working as quickly and thoroughly as we can to ensure the criminal justice process moves quickly for all involved and our community deserves,” Graves said.
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said there will be a thorough investigation and review by the prosecutor’s office.
“As a parent, I certainly feel for the victim’s mother and the rest of the family. My heart goes out to them,” the mayor added.
A GoFundMe Started by Faith Spoonmore, she identified herself As of Yarl’s aunt, as of Sunday night, the family had received $529,000 in donations to raise money for medical expenses.
Yarl was looking forward to graduating high school and moving to West Africa before starting college, where he hopes to major in chemical engineering, his aunt wrote in the fundraiser.
Spoonmore wrote that the teen is a section leader in a marching band and can often be seen with an instrument in hand. Most recently, Yarl received an honorable mention for playing bass clarinet in the Missouri All-State Band, according to the North Kansas City Schools newsletter in February.
“Life is so different now. Although he is doing well physically, he is on a long road mentally and emotionally. The trauma he must endure is unimaginable,” the GoFundMe post reads.
“Total coffee junkie. Tv ninja. Unapologetic problem solver. Beer expert.”