A black Missouri teenager had to run to three houses before he got help after he was shot in the head when he rang the wrong doorbell, his family have said.
Police said 16-year-old Ralph Yarl was meant to pick his siblings up at about 10.30pm in Kansas City, Missouri, on Thursday night when he was met with gunshots.
Ralph was rushed to hospital and although he was was recovering on Sunday night, he has suffered life-changing injuries as a result of the shooting.
The person who fired the weapon was taken into custody and released 24 hours later.
Faith Spoonmore, Ralph’s aunt has started a GoFundMe to help cover hospital expenses. She wrote that Ralph had to run to three houses after he was shot before someone helped him.
In a post on the page, it reads, “The man in the home opened the door, looked my nephew in the eye, and shot him in the head.
“My nephew fell to the ground, and the man shot him again. Ralph was then able to get up and run to the neighbour’s house, looking for help.”
“Unfortunately, he had to run to 3 different homes before someone finally agreed to help him after he was told to lie on the ground with his hands up.”
She added, “Ralph Yarl Yarl is a fantastic kid, and I am not just saying this because he is my nephew. He truly is.”
The shooting has caused a national uproar and led to celebrities such as Halle Berry tweeting their anger.
The Oscar-winning actress tweeted, “His name is #RalphYarl and I’m sick and tired of this feeling…my heart completely broke when I learned this precious 16-year-old, who accidentally rang the door of the wrong address in an attempt to pick up his siblings, was shot in the head by a man who didn’t want him on his property.
“This innocent child is now fighting for his life. This could be your child. This should NOT happen.”
She also encouraged everyone to contact the prosecutor.
On Sunday, protesters in the city marched as they chanted, “Justice for Ralph” and “Black lives matter,” and carried posters that read, “Ringing a doorbell is not a crime” and “The shooter should do the time.”
Police Chief Stacey Graves said the prosecutor’s office is prepared to take over the case as cops collect evidence.
Graves said, “We recognize the frustration this can cause with the entire criminal justice process.”
“As soon as the case is complete, it will be presented to the Clay County prosecutors for their review.”
Ms Graves said a statement from the victim and forensic evidence needs to be collected before completing the case.
The shooting has been listed as a case of mistaken identity.
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said the case was getting “the full attention of the Kansas City Police Department.”
He told the Kansas City Star, “This is not something that has been dismissed, marginalized or diminished in any way.”
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump said the homeowner should be charged.
Mr Crump added, “You can’t just shoot people without having justification when somebody comes knocking on your door and knocking on your door is not justification.”
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