Andrew Lester Was 'Scared to Death' by Ralph Yarl Before Shooting Him

The 84-year-old white man who shot 16-year-old Ralph Yarl said he was "scared to death" before opening fire, according to a probable cause statement.

Andrew Lester was charged Monday with first-degree assault for shooting the Black teenager, who mistakenly went to the man's home in Kansas City, Missouri, to pick up his younger brothers. The charge carries a penalty of up to life in prison.

Lester is also charged with armed criminal action, which carries a penalty of up to 15 years.

A warrant was issued for Lester's arrest, and he was not yet in custody, Clay County Prosecuting Attorney Zachary Thompson said at a news conference on Monday. It was not clear if Lester has an attorney who could speak on his behalf.

According to the probable cause statement, Lester told police that he lived alone and was in bed on Thursday night when he heard his doorbell ring.

He said he picked up his handgun and went to answer the door, where he saw a Black male pulling on the exterior storm door handle.

"He stated he believed someone was attempting to break into the house, and shot twice within a few seconds of opening" the interior door, the statement said.

"Lester stated that it was the last thing he wanted to do, but he was 'scared to death' due to the male's size" and his ability to in defend himself at his age, the statement added.

"He believed he was protecting himself from a physical confrontation and could not take the chance of the male coming in."

Lester was "visibly upset and repeatedly expressed concern" for Yarl, the statement said. He also said no words were exchanged during the incident.

However, Yarl told police that he pressed the doorbell and waited outside. He said he did not pull on the door.

According to the statement, Yarl also said that as he got up to run away, he heard Lester say: "Don't come around here."

He ran to "multiple" homes asking for help before finding someone who would call the police, the statement said.

Yarl is now recovering at home after being released from the hospital on Sunday, his father told The Kansas City Star.

The shooting outraged many in Kansas City and beyond, with protesters and attorneys representing the Yarl family saying the shooting was racially motivated and calling for hate crime charges.

Thompson on Monday said that there was a "racial component" to the shooting. But he clarified that nothing in the charging documents says the shooting was racially motivated.

"We understand how frustrating this has been but I can assure you the criminal justice system is working and will continue to work," Thompson said.

Newsweek has contacted Thompson's office for further comment via email.

Ben Crump and Lee Merritt, the civil rights attorneys representing Yarl's family, said the family learned of the charges shortly after President Joe Biden called and offered "prayers for Ralph's health and for justice."

They said: "Gun violence against unarmed Black individuals must stop. Our children should feel safe, not as though they are being hunted.

"While this is certainly a step in the right direction, we will continue to fight for Ralph while he works towards a full recovery."

A GoFundMe page created by Yarl's aunt to help the family raise money for medical expenses had raised more than $2.6 million in donations by early Tuesday.

Update 4/18/23, 9 a.m. ET: This article has been updated to add a photo of Andrew Lester.