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Questlove, Halle Berry & More Demand Justice For Ralph Yarl  

Ralph Yarl
By: London JennnCategory: News

The shooting of 16-year-old Ralph Yarl caused outrage after the Black teen was shot in the head when he mistakenly rang the wrong doorbell.

Multiple celebrities have joined the demands for justice for 16-year-old Ralph Yarl, who was shot in the head after knocking on the wrong door by mistake. 

84-year-old white man Andrew Lester Yarl pleaded not guilty during a hearing Wednesday, per Associated Press. He was freed after posting a $20,000 bond.  

Yarl was shot at point-blank range in the head and once in the arm after ringing Lester’s doorbell. He was picking up his younger twin brothers but arrived at the wrong address.

The Yarl family attorney is urging the Department of Justice to charge Lester with a hate crime. Lee Merritt said Yarl “was armed only with his Black skin.” 

In the criminal Complaint, Lester said he did not want to shoot the Black teen but claimed: “He was ‘scared to death’ due to the male’s size.” The homeowner stated that Ralph Yarl was a “Black male approximately 6 feet tall,” several inches off Yarl’s actual height of 5 foot 8. 

Prosecutors charged Lester with first-degree felony assault and first-degree armed criminal action. He faces life in prison if convicted.  

Despite his injuries, the brave teenager is recovering after being released from the hospital Saturday. His attorney says it’s a “miracle” that the bullet in his head did not cause more extensive damage.”  

Celebrities Demand Justice For Ralph Yarl

The shooting has caused widespread outrage across the nation, reigniting the national debate surrounding gun laws. Many Black parents around the country fear their child being perceived as older and a threat.  

Talib Kweli took to Instagram to share his support for Ralph Yarl and pointed to the fears Black parents endure.  

“This is what Black parents have to teach our children to watch out for and they still try to tell us we are lying about our experiences with racism. They still chastise us for saying our lives matter,” he penned in the caption of a video about the teen’s shooting a miraculous recovery.  

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CrHvFDcAjyZ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Questlove said the incident ‘hit a lil too close to home,’ for him and shared a comic strip about the tragic shooting.  

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A post shared by Questlove (@questlove)

Meanwhile, hundreds of Staley High School students walked out of school for a march in support of their classmate.  

Halle Berry and Justin Timberlake also joined the demands for action, taking to Twitter to urge the public to contact prosecutors.  

“This innocent child is now fighting for his life,’ wrote the Oscar-winning actress. This could be your child. This should NOT happen. Please do something today!”