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An 86-year-old Missouri man who admitted to shooting a Black teenager who mistakenly rang his doorbell has died before his sentencing, prosecutors announced Wednesday.
Andrew Lester pleaded guilty last Friday to felony assault in connection with the April 2023 shooting of then-16-year-old Ralph Yarl.
Yarl, who survived gunshot wounds to the head and arm, has since recovered and is currently attending university in Texas.
Lester was due to be sentenced on March 7, but Clay County prosecutor Zachary Thompson confirmed his death.
The shooting took place when Yarl accidentally knocked on the wrong door while attempting to pick up his younger twin brothers from a friend’s house in Kansas City. Lester told authorities he believed someone was attempting to break into his home before opening fire.
The case sparked national outrage, with then-President Joe Biden personally calling Yarl after the incident.
“No parent should have to worry that their kid will be shot after ringing the wrong doorbell,” Biden said. “We’ve got to keep up the fight against gun violence.”
Deadly shootings remain a common occurrence in the United States, a country with an estimated 400 million guns—more than its population of 330 million.
However, Yarl’s case drew particular attention amid ongoing concerns over racial violence and the lack of accountability for attacks against African Americans.
While Lester’s death means the legal case is closed, the incident continues to fuel discussions about racial bias, self-defence laws, and the dangers of gun culture in the U.S.
