Kansas

Kansas City retiree who shot Ralph Yarl, Black teen who mistakenly rang his doorbell, pleads guilty to lesser charge

Published

1 year ago

February 14, 2025

Kansas City retiree who shot Ralph Yarl, Black teen who mistakenly rang his doorbell, pleads guilty to lesser charge

An 86-year-old Kansas City man pleaded guilty Friday to a lesser charge in the 2023 shooting of Ralph Yarl, a Black honor student who rang his doorbell by mistake.

Andrew Lester, who is White, was scheduled to stand trial next week on charges of first-degree assault and armed criminal action in the shooting of the then-16-year-old, who survived and has since graduated from high school.

As part of a plea deal, Lester pleaded guilty to second-degree assault. Lester, who will be sentenced on March 7, was hunched over as he was wheeled into the courtroom, his hands folded.

File photo: Andrew Lester appears in court to answer charges of first-degree assault and armed criminal action, April 19, 2023, in Liberty, Mo.

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KMBC via AP, Pool

The charge carries a sentence of up to seven years in prison, compared to first-degree assault, which carries a sentence of 15 to 30 years, depending on the circumstances. One of the key elements of second-degree assault is that defendants “have the burden of injecting the issue of influence of sudden passion arising from adequate cause.”

“This is probably perceived as some middle ground, and the heat of passion would be what was the motivation for the shooting,” said J.R. Hobbs, a Kansas City defense attorney who is not involved in the case. “If he was afraid or whatever, it may not rise to a full defense. The parties might agree to that because on one hand, it’s a felony conviction — no trial, no possible appeal. On the other hand, with a lesser statutory limit, the defendant’s exposure is less as well.”

Kansas City high school student Ralph Yarl was shot on the front porch of this home when went to the house by mistake in an attempt to pick up his twin siblings.

Christopher Smith/For The Washington Post via Getty Images
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Yarl showed up on Lester’s doorstep on the night of April 13, 2023, after he mixed up the streets where he was supposed to pick up his twin siblings.

Lester’s attorney, Steve Salmon, has long argued that Lester was acting in self-defense and that he was terrified by the stranger who knocked on his door as he settled into bed. Authorities say Lester shot Yarl twice: first in the head, then in the arm.

The shooting shocked the country and renewed national debate about gun policies and race in the U.S.

Yarl testified at an earlier hearing that he rang the bell and then waited for someone to answer for what seemed “longer than normal.” As the inner door opened, Yarl said, he reached out to grab the storm door.

“I assume these are my brothers’ friends’ parents,” he said.

He said Lester shot him in the head and uttered, “Don’t come here ever again.” Although the bullet didn’t penetrate Yarl’s brain, the impact knocked him to the ground. Yarl said Lester then shot him in the arm. The teen was taken to the hospital and released three days later.

Kansas City Teen Shot — This undated photo provided by Ben Crump Law shows Ralph Yarl, the teenager shot by a homeowner in Kansas City, Mo.

Ben Crump Law via AP

His family said the shooting took a big emotional toll and they have filed a lawsuit against the retired aircraft mechanic.

Salmon said last year that Lester’s physical and mental condition had deteriorated. He said Lester has had heart issues, a broken hip and has been hospitalized. Lester also has lost 50 pounds (23 kilograms), which Salmon blamed on the stress of intense media coverage and death threats he subsequently received.

A judge had previously ordered a mental evaluation of Lester but allowed for the trial to proceed after its completion. The results of that evaluation were not released publicly.

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas says Ralph Yarl shooting stems from “culture of fear and paranoia”

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Kansas

Former Kansas high school wrestling coach charged with producing child pornography

Published

16 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Former Kansas high school wrestling coach charged with producing child pornography

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) – A former Kansas wrestling coach was charged with creating child sexual abuse materials by secretly recording minors showering during an athletic competition.

According to court documents, 37-year-old Ryan Brungardt of Salina is charged with two counts of production of child pornography and one count of attempted production of child pornography.

Brungardt is a former employee at Lakewood Middle School and former wrestling coach for Salina Central High School.

Brungardt is accused of using a cellphone to record three minors while they showered in a locker room during the Tournament of Champions, a wrestling tournament was held at Newton High in January 2024.

Brungardt made his initial court appearance for the criminal complaint on Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brooks G. Severson.

A detention hearing is scheduled for Monday

Investigators are in the process of reviewing additional seized cellphone videos in this case that are suspected to have been recorded at wrestling meets in Newton, Hays, Garden City and Salina during the 2023-2024 wrestling season.

Anyone who believes they witnessed crimes or any suspicious activity at these events is asked to contact the Kansas Bureau of Investigation at (785) 600-8790 or report at www.kbi.ks.gov/sar.

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