The family of a Black teenager shot and critically wounded by a homeowner when he went to the wrong house to find his twin brothers has filed suit against the homeowner and his homeowner’s association.

Ralph Yarl, 16 at the time, was going to pick up his younger siblings at NE 115th Terrace in Kansas City on April 13, 2023, but went by mistake to NE 115th Street, where 85-year-old Andrew Lester lived, and rang the doorbell.

Lester shot the boy twice, in the head and the arm, through a glass door, as CrimeOnline reported.

The lawsuit alleges the shooting happened because of “careless” and “negligent” actions by Lester and the Highland Acres Homes Association, which the suit said “should have been aware” of Lester’s “access to dangerous weapons and racial animus,” WDAF reported.

Cleo Nagby, Yarl’s mother, issued a statement saying her son’s shooting “exposed a critical gap in our societal fabric, where the safety of our children is jeopardized by reckless actions.”

“Through this civil suit, we aim to spark a dialogue on the importance of responsible gun ownership and community safety measures of using words, not weapons,” she said. “It’s not just about seeking financial compensation; it’s about holding all parties involved accountable and ensuring that steps are taken to prevent such tragedies from occurring again.”

Lester was charged with first degree assault and armed criminal action, and Clay County Prosecutor Zachary Thompson said “there was a racial component to the shooting.” His trial is set to begin in October.

Yarl suffered a traumatic brain injury and is recovering.

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[Featured image: Ralph Yarl/GoFundMe]