Metro

US Man Charged For Shooting Black Teen At His Front Door

Published

2 years ago

April 18, 2023

Editor

Prosecutors in the US state of Missouri announced felony charges on Monday against an 85-year-old white man after he allegedly shot and severely wounded a Black teenager who mistakenly rang his doorbell.

Ralph Paul Yarl, 16, was in critical condition after he was shot twice, once in the head, last Thursday night when he rang the doorbell at the wrong house while trying to pick up his twin brothers from a friend’s home nearby.

Outrage rose over the case throughout the weekend, after it was revealed that the homeowner had been released without charges following 24 hours in custody.

However on Monday, Clay County prosecutor Zachary Thompson announced that the homeowner, identified as Andrew Lester, 85, had been charged with one count of felony assault in the first degree and one count of armed criminal action, also a felony. His bail was set at $200,000.

The boy’s aunt, Faith Spoonmoore, said on a GoFundMe campaign that her nephew was a gifted student who dreamed of studying chemical engineering.

Deadly shootings are a regular occurrence in the United States, a country of around 330 million people that is awash with an estimated 400 million guns.

But Yarl’s case has sparked a particular outcry as the nation continues to grapple with a long history of missing accountability for violence against African Americans.

The White House announced Monday evening that President Joe Biden had spoken by phone to Yarl “and shared his hope for a swift recovery.”

Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves said at a Sunday night press conference that the information at the time “does not say that it’s racially motivated, that’s still an active investigation.”

“But as a chief of police, I do recognize the racial components of this case. I do recognize and understand the community’s concern.”

Charges were also filed Monday in a similar case in New York state, though the victim of the shooting Saturday night did not survive.

Police in New York state said a 20-year-old woman, identified as Kaylin Gillis, had been fatally shot by a homeowner on Saturday night when she showed up with three others at the wrong address when trying to find a friend’s house.

“While they were leaving the residence after they determined that they were at the wrong house, the subject came out on his porch for whatever reason and fired two shots, one of which struck the vehicle that Kaylin was in,” said Jeffrey Murphy, the sheriff of Washington County, where the shooting took place.

The 65-year-old homeowner who allegedly fired the shots was arrested Monday and charged with premeditated murder, the sheriff said.

Meanwhile on Saturday in the state of Alabama, four people were killed and at least 28 others, mostly teenagers, were wounded in a shooting at a birthday party.

Metro

BREAKING: Bodies Of 8 Missing Policemen Recovered In Benue

Published

14 hours ago

September 22, 2025

Editor

Lifeless bodies of the eight policemen who were declared missing after a deadly attack on security operatives at Agu Centre, on the border of Katsina-Ala and Ukum LGAs of Benue State, have been recovered.

Dr Justin Shaku, Chairman of Katsina-Ala LGA disclosed this to reporters in Makurdi on Monday.

According to him, “this brings the number of officers killed to 11 (10 policemen and one BSCPG)”.

The unfortunate incident occurred on Friday, when a team of security operatives came under the attack of armed invaders.

Three personnel were immediately confirmed dead while eight others were declared missing.

Metro

Police Arrest Three Kidnappers Over ₦6.9m Ransom, Victim’s Murder

Published

15 hours ago

September 22, 2025

Editor

Operatives of the Rivers State Police Command have arrested three suspected kidnappers who allegedly killed one of their victims after collecting N6.9 million ransom.

The Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed this in a statement issued on Monday.

Iringe-Koko identified the suspects as Hassan Mohammed (20) of Wandigah Town, Mandagali, Borno State; Bello Abubakar (25) of Roundabout Maura, Sokoto State; and Yusuf Ahmed (23) of Hazari LGA, Bauchi State.

She said the arrests followed an investigation into the abduction of Humphrey Wagbara of Igwuruta-Atali.

According to the PPRO, the suspects also kidnapped one Mercy Chinyere on September 12, 2025, at the same location, where they also collected a ransom of N3,500,000 before releasing her.

The statement read, “On 26th August, 2025, the Rivers State Police Command received a distressing report, suggesting the kidnapping of one Humphrey Wagbara, m of Igwuruta-Atali.

“Operatives of the Command attached to the Anti-Cultism Unit (ACU), Emohua Annexe, acting on this information and in a daring and coordinated operation on 19th September, 2025, at about 0200hrs arrested three suspects at different locations in Obio/Akpor and Ikwerre Local Government Areas of the State in connection with the kidnapping of the victim.”

Iringe-Koko said during interrogation, the suspects voluntarily confessed to their involvement in multiple kidnappings in the State.

Among their past kidnappings are those of Onwuli Jude and Nwabueze Nchekwube on September 24, 2025, at School Road, Igwuruta-Atali, where they collected a ransom of N6,900,000 before killing the victim.

“Exhibits recovered from the suspects include one G-3 rifle with Breech Number 10398, one magazine, one Itel phone belonging to Humphrey Wagbara, a kidnapped victim, three short daggers, one jack knife and one stainless short knife,” Rivers police imagemaker said.

Iringe-Koko added that the suspects and exhibits remain in police custody while detectives track other fleeing members of the syndicate and search for additional weapons.

The Command said it arrested a 48-year-old man, Emmanuel George, for allegedly defiling a 12-year-old girl (name withheld) in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

According to Iringe-Koko, George committed the offence on September 6, 2025, after luring the minor while she was sent on an errand by her aunt.