Neighbor describes moment Black teen came looking for help after allegedly being shot by White homeowner
A neighbor who helped teenager Ralph Yarl after he was allegedly shot by an 84-year-old homeowner in Kansas City while trying to pick up his siblings described the moment the teen came looking for help.
"There was blood from ... where he was at all the way up all over the door," said Zac Dovel.
Dovel said that when 16-year-old Yarl came to his family's front door, his mother thought someone was trying to break in. They heard banging at the door, which turned into pounding, so they called 911.
The operator advised them not to answer the door due to reports of a gunshot in the area. But after seeing Yarl's condition, Dovel and his mother decided to go out to him.
"All we know is he was hurt. He needs to get help. We need to get him. He needs to be the priority right now," Dovel said.
At a rally held in the heart of Kansas City Tuesday evening, crowds voiced their frustration and exhaustion with the shooting.
"This personally hit home," said Astrid Moss, a mother of two Black sons who brought her boys to the rally. "What if that was my son that rang that doorbell?"
Yarl's aunt, who is helping care for him, suggested that despite the outpouring of support from people he doesn't even know, the teen remains humble and prefers to stay out of the limelight.
Faith Spoonemore told her nephew, "'Look at all these people that are pouring love into you, buddy.' ... But he goes, why are they making such a big deal? Because that's just who he is. He'd much rather be in the background and help everybody else."
Lester has been charged with assault in the first degree and armed criminal action. He was set to appear in court Wednesday for arraignment on assault charges.
According to the criminal complaint, Lester told police he saw a Black male approximately 6 feet tall and he "believed someone was attempting to break into the house." He claimed the person outside was opening the screen door.
However, Yarl refutes this claim, saying he did not try to open the door. Additionally, Yarl's aunt said he is 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs 140 pounds.
Cleo Nagbe, Yarl's mother, told "CBS Mornings" Tuesday that Yarl is recovering at home but still processing what happened.
"You can see that he is just replaying the situation over and over again," she said.
