Update 04/21/2023 1:52pm:

It's been just over a week since Ralph Yarl (16) was shot twice by Andrew Luster (84) after confusing the shooter's home (1100 NE 115th Street) for another address that he was given to pick up his two younger siblings (1100 NE 115th Terrace). In the aftermath, the teenager narrowly escaped with his life and has since been released from the hospital to recover at home. On the flip side, Andrew Luster, who was charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action, has garnered national attention from several media outlets as debates continue regarding whether or not the shooting was racially motivated. This is a notion that prosecutors in the case have already underlined, and Luster's grandson, Klint Ludwig, appears to agree with the accusations wholeheartedly. On Thursday, Ludwig was interviewed by Don Lemon on a CNN broadcast, where he shared details about his grandfather's background regarding social and cultural views. 

"The warning signs were there. I wasn’t shocked when I heard the news," Ludwig said. "I believe he holds racist tendencies and beliefs...A lot of it was like the QAnon-level conspiracies of election denying, and he got really weird about some Fauci dogs... And I would push back on some of that stuff, and he couldn’t handle being pushed back on, and at a certain point, we kind of lost touch, and I think it was more his choice than mine."

Elsewhere in the segment, Don Lemon asked Ludwig if he had anything to say to his grandfather's victim.

"What message do you have for [Ralph] Yarl and his family?" Asked Lemon.

"I'm proud of you, Ralph," Ludwig replied. "I'm so sorry this happened to you. I understand you're an amazing kid, and I think you're going to grow up to be an amazing man. You didn't do anything wrong. The outpouring of support that the country has shown to you, I think, says more than I ever could say, and I'm really thankful to Shawn King for making this a national news story and the people getting out in the streets and demanding attention. Ralph, you don't deserve to have your life fundamentally changed, and you deserve justice, and my family stands with you."

Andrew Luster was released on bail for $200,000; he is due back in court on June 1st. Towards the end of Ludwig's guest appearance with Don Lemon on CNN, he also had a message for his grandfather regarding the shooting. Scroll up to watch the interview.

Source: YouTube

Original 04/17/2023 3:48pm:

On April 13th, a 16-year-old boy named Ralph Yarl walked up to a place of residence that he believed was the home of a family friend, where he was sent to pick up his younger siblings. According to reports, Ralph thought he was at 1100 NE 115th Terrace, but instead, he accidentally arrived at 1100 NE 115th Street in Kansas City, Missouri. So, when the 80-year-old homeowner opened his front door, he didn't recognize the teenager and reacted by shooting him in the head. The gunfire sent Ralph to the ground, where the 80-year-old homeowner stood over him and fired another shot, wounding the teenager even further. Ralph miraculously managed to get to his feet and run off of the shooter's property, but sadly when he knocked on the doors of various residents in the area, no one headed his desperate pleas for help until his third time asking. He was rushed to the hospital and was stabilized shortly after that. 

According to Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves, the 80-year-old shooter has been taken into custody for the duration of an entire day, pending their investigation into the matter. He was later released after the police consulted with the Clay County Prosecutor's Office.

“I want everyone to know that I am listening,” Graves said during a news conference at the Kansas City police headquarters, “I understand the concern we are receiving from the community.”

Now, law enforcement will be tasked with determining whether or not the shooting was racially motivated or if the gunfire was justified under the protection of the 'Stand Your Ground Legislation.' Civil rights activist/family attorney, Ben Crump, appears to have been hired by Ralph Yarl's family. The 53-year-old recently shared his thoughts on the highly controversial matter that has garnered community-wide protests.

“We have been informed by his family that it was a White man who shot their 16-year-old son,” Crump said, "It is inescapable not to observe the racial dynamics here...If the roles were reversed, how much outrage would there be in America?”

For more on this story, stay tuned.

Source: YouTube