Ralph Yarl, the 16-year-old Kansas City, Missouri, Black boy who was shot in the head on April 13 after ringing the wrong doorbell, continues to recover from his injuries. According to Yarl’s attorney, Lee Merritt, the teen has still not been able to return to school due to health complications.
Merritt says that Yarl met with his doctor to see if he could return to school, but the doctor says he’s not well enough to go back. Yarl is still getting assignments brought to him at home.
Yarl has been dealing with a traumatic brain injury after being shot, as the part of his brain that deals with emotion and stress was damaged, and the doctor didn’t think it would be good to place in an environment that requires social interactions.
Yarl was also invited by Ahmaud Arbery’s mom, Wanda, to join her for a 5K race for Arbery, but the family didn’t think it was a good idea to participate based on his doctor’s assessment.
Andrew Lester, 84, was charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action. Lester told police that he heard the doorbell and picked up his gun. He went to the door and saw Yarl allegedly pulling on the storm door, thought he was breaking in, and shot the teen twice.
