The white man who pleaded guilty to shooting a Black teen who rang a wrong doorbell dies

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — An 86-year-old Kansas City man has died just days after pleading guilty to a lesser charge in the 2023 shooting of Ralph Yarl, a Black honor student who rang the white man’s doorbell by mistake, prosecutors announced Wednesday.

Andrew Lester was charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action in the shooting of the then-16-year-old, who survived and is now a freshman at Texas A&M. Before his trial was scheduled to begin, he pleaded guilty Friday to a lesser charge of second-degree assault, which carries up to seven years behind bars. He was scheduled to be sentenced on March 7.

Cher Congour, a spokeswoman for the Clay County prosecutor’s office, said Lester’s attorney called the office and the court, and informed them of his death.

“We have learned of the passing of Andrew Lester and extend our sincere condolences to his family during this difficult time,” the prosecutor’s office said in a news release. “While the legal proceedings have now concluded, we acknowledge that Mr. Lester did take responsibility for his actions by pleading guilty in this case.”

The news release offered no cause of death.