Ralph Paul Yarl, the 16-year-old boy who was shot after ringing the wrong bell to pick up his siblings, is a “gentle soul” and gifted student who wants to study chemical engineering in college, said a former teacher.
Ralph was shot Thursday night after his parents asked him to pick up his 11-year-old twin brothers and mistakenly went to a house in the 1100 block of Northeast 115th Street instead of Northeast 115th Terrace in Kansas City, Missouri, police said.
A Good Samaritan who rushed to Yarl’s aid said, «He didn’t deserve to get shot.»
He was in stable condition at a hospital with life-threatening injuries, police said. He was released Saturday and is recovering at his home, said attorney Lee Merritt, who has been retained by the family.
Megan Lilien, who taught Ralph at Missouri Scholars Academy, a three-week residential program for academically gifted students, said he was a «very bright» and observant student, curious about the world.
He was among 330 rising high school students chosen last summer to attend the prestigious program, which requires a nomination, on the University of Missouri’s Columbia campus.
“He was curious, intelligent. He’s quiet, but he’s literally taking the world in. You only realize He’s just watching everything,” Lilien said.
He taught a college-level chemistry-based science class and spent about three hours in the lab with Ralph and 17 other students every day of the program.
“He has this sweet face. He wasn’t the one who was talking all the time or answering all the questions, but you knew he was learning all the time. He was kind. He was definitely respected by everyone in the group,” Lilien said.
«I was still working, still trying to solve the problem, when we had to finish,» he added.
She said the news of the shooting «has me nauseated.»
“It is devastating. There are no words. I just don’t know how something like that happens. It is unimaginable. This is a child who does not deserve to experience this in his life at all,” Lilien said. «I just have to think about the positive and that he will be able to pursue his dream.»
On the last night of the summer program, as part of a tradition, students light a candle and share a memory of a time at camp that made a difference for them.
Lilien said that Ralph’s memory touched her, but she did not want to share what he said. “I want to keep that sacred,” she said.
Ralph is also a clarinetist who recently earned Missouri All-State Band recognition with honorable mention.
Brad Hudson, the Missouri All-State Band coordinator, said 1,500 students auditioned in December for the Missouri All-State Band and Ralph was recognized in the honorable mention band for bass clarinet. Musicians in that category don’t perform but are recognized on the show, he said.
Ralph, a junior at Staley High School in Kansas City, is an excellent student and a talented musician, the North Kansas City Schools superintendent said in a statement Monday.
«He maintains a stellar GPA while taking mostly college level courses,» said Dan Clemens. “While she loves science and hopes to follow that career path, her passion is music. Fortunately, we know that he is now recovering with his family.»
«I know many of you share the same anger, frustration, shock and disbelief that I am experiencing now. We must allow time for the investigation to be completed.»
A ‘funny’ friend, passionate about the band and being with his family.
Faith Spoonmore, Ralph’s aunt, said he is «healing» and the family is taking it «one day at a time.»
“It is day by day, minute by minute. He has the good moments of him where we remind Ralph, ‘You’re alive, dude,’ and then he has moments where he’s like, ‘Why? I did not do anything wrong. Why?’” he said.
She described Ralph as a shy person with a dry sense of humor who loves music and engineering. He is also protective of his brothers and cousins, she said.
He wants to study chemical engineering at Texas A&M, «because they have the most competitive program» and «he likes competition,» Spoonmore said.
Ralph’s classmate, Aiden Brady, also a junior at Staley, described him as quiet in public but «great fun» among friends.
“When Ralph says something, it has to be important,” he said. «Some even joke, ‘Shh, Ralph is talking.'»
Aiden, who knew Ralph in high school when they joined the band, called him a strong leader in his «band family.»
“Ralph knows a lot, and when you ask him for help, what he suggests always seems to be right,” he said.
Another classmate, Elianna Brannlund, described Ralph as a «very kind and loving person» and «the smartest person I know.»
Elianna recalled that Ralph stayed with her a few months ago during the all-district orchestra auditions, after his own auditions had finished, while he waited for a call back.
“Ralph stayed with me for the five hours to talk about music, school and life,” he said. «Even when he had the option to go home.»
the shooting
Just before the shooting Thursday night, Ralph rang the house’s doorbell and waited for an answer. As the door opened, he was confronted by a man who told him, «Don’t come back this way» and opened fire, shooting him in the head, Merritt, one of the family’s lawyers, said, citing Ralph’s account to police. .
Ralph fell to the ground and the owner fired a second shot, hitting him in the arm, Merritt said.
Ralph found the strength to run, stopping at three houses to call for help. In the third house, a person inside instructed him to raise his arms and lie down on the floor. Ralph lost consciousness and the police were called.
Shooting shed light on Missouri Law of «Standing Firm» and sparked outrage on social media. He also sparked a protest over the weekend and called for the shooter’s arrest.
Two felony charges were announced Monday night against a white man in his 80s: first-degree assault and armed criminal action, Clay County District Attorney Zachary Thompson said Monday.
A warrant has been issued for Andrew Lester, who is not in custody, Thompson said, adding that he did not know where Lester was.
Police Chief Stacey Graves said at a news conference Sunday that the shooter at the residence was apprehended and held for 24 hours, the maximum time a felony suspect can be held until charges are filed. She also took a firearm as evidence.
Graves said the vast majority of felony suspects are released after 24 hours, but are re-arrested later when enough evidence has been gathered for the charges. Graves said detectives are working «quickly» and the results will be forwarded to the Clay County prosecutor as soon as the investigation is complete.