The country is reeling after another instance of gun violence against a Black teenager is making headlines. Sixteen-year-old Ralph Yarl was shot Sunday by a white homeowner after he'd gone to the wrong address to pick up his siblings. And now, celebrities like Viola Davis are speaking out and calling for action to ensure that justice is served.
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Ralph Yarl is currently in critical condition after the incident.
As CNN reported, Yarl, a teenager from Kansas City, Missouri, was shot on the evening of April 13. He was supposed to pick his siblings up at a home on 115 Terrace but went to 115 Street instead, where an unidentified homeowner reportedly fired his gun. The homeowner was taken into custody and put on a 24-hour hold but has since been released as the investigation into the situation continues.
According to a statement issued by his family, Yarl was "shot twice and struck in the head and arm," and though he was in stable condition once he arrived at the hospital, as of Sunday, he was in critical condition.
Viola Davis has put out a call to action on social media.
In an Instagram post, Viola shared a photo of Yarl, sharing details of the shooting and asking her followers to demand that Prosecutor Zachary Thompson bring the "appropriate charges" against the homeowner who pulled the trigger.
"Ralph is a junior in High School. He loves music and plays the bass clarinet. He is loved by his family and community and he has a bright bright future," Viola wrote. "He didn’t deserve what happened to him. We won’t stand for it. We are coming for justice."
She's not the only celebrity drawing attention to this horrifying incident.
Halle Berry also shared a Twitter thread on the situation, along with a photo of Yarl in the hospital.
"His name is #RalphYarl and I’m sick and tired of this feeling," she wrote. "This innocent child is now fighting for his life. This could be your child. This should NOT happen."
Justin Timberlake also chimed in with a tweet of his own, writing, "#RalphYarl accidentally rang the door of the wrong house while trying to pick up his siblings. For this, a man shot him in the head. Then shot him a 2nd time as he was on the ground. The man is free and the 16-year-old is fighting for his life in the hospital. This can’t be it."
A GoFundMe account has been set up to raise money for his family.
Yarl's aunt, Faith Spoonmore, has organized a GoFundMe page to help pay for his medical bills and therapy, and so far, donations amount to more than $1.2 million.
Spoonmore wrote that Yarl is a section leader in the marching band and hopes to attend Texas A&M University to major in chemical engineering.
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Justice needs to be served for Yarl and his family — and to prevent this from happening to someone else.
If you want to voice your opinions, the prosecutor for this case can be reached at [email protected] or by phone at 816-736-8300, according to Viola's Instagram post.
Our thoughts are with Yarl's family at this time.
