Kansas City man, 84, who shot black 16 year-old Ralph Yarl was QAnon conspiracy theorist
An 84-year-old Kansas City man — who shot a 16-year-old black boy who accidentally knocked on his door — was a QAnon conspiracy theorist with racist views, his grandson claimed.
Andrew Lester shot Ralph Yarl on April 13 after the teen knocked on his front door to pick up his younger twin brothers but had the wrong address.
Lester’s grandson, Klint Ludwig, told CNN’s Don Lemon his grandfather was an “ordinary American Christian man,” twisted by racist conspiracy theories and that his attitude was a symptom of old age and paranoia.
“It’s the conspiracies and weird, random, racist things they say, and it doesn’t make any sense, but they’re just scared,” he added.
Lester pleaded not guilty in his first appearance on Wednesday at Clay County Courthouse in Kansas City.
Yarl’s lawyers said the boy suffered a traumatic brain injury but can walk – it is hoped he will make a full recovery.
Lester’s grandson, Klint Ludwig, told CNN’s Don Lemon that his grandfather was fueled by racist conspiracy theories and that his attitude was a symptom of old age and paranoia
Ralph Yarl, 16, was shot twice in the head by a white man after accidentally approaching the wrong house when he went to pick up his siblings
“I believe he has racist tendencies and beliefs,” Ludwig said when asked by Lemon if his grandfather is racist.
“I feel like a lot of people of that generation are caught up in this 24-hour news cycle of fear and paranoia, which is perpetuated by some other news outlets,” he added.
“And he got all wrapped up in that, sat watching Fox News all day, every day, blaring in his living room. And I think that stuff really kind of reinforces this negative view of minority groups.
“It doesn’t necessarily cause people to be racist, but it reinforces and encourages racist people and their beliefs,” he said.
“In this country it happens over and over again that people get away with killing unarmed innocent black people, and I would have had the same energy for any other cause.”
When asked if he had a message for Yarl, Ludwig said, “Proud of you, Ralph. I’m so sorry this happened to you. I understand you are a great kid and I think you’re going to grow up to be a great man. You haven’t done anything wrong.
“You deserve justice, and my family has your back,” he added.
The 16-year-old looked relaxed and smiled with his lawyer Lee Merritt on Wednesday ahead of Andrew Lester, 84, who appears in court for the first time
Pictured: The home of Andrew Lester, the 84-year-old white homeowner accused of shooting black teen Ralph Yarl in Kansas City, Missouri
Andrew Lester, 84, told the Kansas City Police Department that shooting Ralph Yarl, 16, was the “last thing he wanted to do” but was terrified of the teen because of his size and age
Andrew Lester, 84, pleaded not guilty in a first appearance Wednesday at Clay County Courthouse
The incident happened after Yarl accidentally went to Northeast 115th Street instead of Northeast 115th Terrace — a block apart — in northern Kansas City.
Yarl approached the door, but did not step “over the threshold” into the house, prosecutors said.
Lester allegedly opened the door and fired two .32-caliber bullets from a revolver that struck Yarl in the forehead and arm. Prosecutors said there was no evidence that words were exchanged.
Lester told a police officer after the shooting that he saw a black man “pulling the outside handle of the storm door” and that he thought the person was trying to break in.
Yarl has since been interviewed by a detective and said he only rang the doorbell and did not pull the door.
Lester’s grandson’s comments about his character come after his ex-wife told the New York Times that while married to him, she feared his violence.
Mary Clayton, 81, was married to Lester for 14 years and the couple had three children together.
Lawyers for Ralph said outside court that the Justice Department is investigating the shooting as a hate crime. His family was not present at the hearing
Lester faces life in prison after being charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action in connection with the shooting that saw Ralph Yarl rushed to hospital
During the hearing, the judge added several conditions to Lester’s bail, barring him from owning a weapon
They divorced many years ago and she moved to California. When Lester’s face appeared on the news in reports of last week’s incident, she said she didn’t recognize him at first.
She said his alleged crime did not shock her. “I was always afraid of him,” she told the paper. “I’m not surprised what happened.”
Clayton said he often got violently angry and smashed objects in their home during their marriage.
When she reported him to the police, she said, the officers told her it was his house and he could do whatever he wanted. She said she knew nothing about his alleged crime until her daughter called and told her.
Lester appeared in court Wednesday and pleaded not guilty during a three-minute appearance at the Clay County Courthouse.
He faces charges of first-degree assault and armed criminal action, and his next appearance is scheduled for June 1.
The incident happened after Yarl accidentally went to Northeast 115th Street instead of Northeast 115th Terrace in northern Kansas City. The two houses are one block apart
Clay County Prosecutor Zachary Thompson said, “I can tell you there was a racial component to the case … I don’t want to comment on the details of the case to protect its integrity.”
Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves also acknowledged the “racial components” involved in the case.
Lester shot twice within seconds of opening the door, according to his statement, and claims no words were exchanged
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said Yarl was “shot for existing while he was black.” He told CNN he “shared the outrage” of Kansas City residents at the lack of action.
“If you act like race isn’t part of this whole situation, you’re burying your head in the sand,” he said.