Andrew Lester, the Kansas City man charged with shooting Ralph Yarl in April 2023 after the teenager knocked on the door of the wrong house, pleaded guilty to second-degree assault charges in a 10-minute Missouri court hearing on Friday.
The 86-year-old man had been facing charges of first-degree assault and armed criminal action in the shooting of then-16-year-old Yarl, a Black honors student who mistakenly showed up at Lester’s door to pick up his twin brothers.
Second-degree assault, a Class D felony, carries with it the sentencing possibility of up to seven years in prison, Clay County Prosecutor Zach Thompson said at a press conference after Friday’s hearing. The sentencing hearing will happen on March 7, according to Thompson.
Ralph Yarl, a Black 16-year-old who was shot and wounded by a homeowner after mistakenly going to the wrong house to pick up his siblings, holds a bass clarinet in this picture obtained from social media.
Lee Merritt via Reuters
Lester, who is white, shot Yarl in the head and right arm, saying he believed someone was trying to break into his house, according to a probable cause statement obtained by ABC News. He initially pleaded not guilty in 2023 and was released on a $200,000 bond.
“Our office has maintained regular and respectful communication with Mr. Yarl and his family, and they support this resolution,” Thompson said Friday.
Thompson was told by a reporter at the news conference that Yarl’s family said they were not satisfied with the outcome of the plea deal, and the county prosecutor said he understood the frustration of the family.
“Based on our communications, both direct and written with Mr. Yarl and his family, we agreed that this would be a just resolution in the case,” Thompson said.
Yarl survived the attack and has since graduated high school, but suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) after the shooting. Yarl’s mother, Cleo Nagbe, previously told ABC News that her son has struggled academically in ways he didn’t prior to the injury.
Booking photo provided by the Clay County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office of Andrew Lester.
Clay County Sheriff’s Office via AP, File
His family reacted to Friday’s hearing in a statement obtained by ABC News.
“While this marks a step toward accountability, true justice requires consequences that reflect the severity of his actions — anything less would be a failure to recognize the harm he has caused,” they wrote. “We remain hopeful that his sentencing will not be merely a slap on the wrist but a decision that upholds the seriousness of his crime.”
Lester’s attorney Steve Salmon previously argued that his client’s mental and physical capacity was a factor in the case, postponing the initial trial date from Oct. 7 to Feb. 18. Salmon said the retired air mechanic had heart and memory issues, a broken hip and had lost over 50 pounds. In November, the judge ruled that Lester was fit to stand trial after reviewing the results of a mental exam.
The Missouri man appeared in court in a wheelchair on Friday, according to ABC’s Kansas City affiliate KMBC.
Yarl’s family filed a civil lawsuit against Lester and the Highland Acres homeowners association nearly a year after the shooting occurred, claiming little progress has been made in the case and the association failed to administer aid after shots were fired.
ABC News contributor Joanne Haner contributed to this report.