President Joe Biden has spoken with Ralph Yarl, the Black teenager who was shot in Kansas City, Missouri, allegedly by a white homeowner after he mistakenly rang the wrong doorbell.
The president phoned the 16-year-old from the White House on Monday afternoon after Ralph had been discharged from hospital.
On Tuesday the White House released a photo of Mr Biden speaking to Ralph and his family on the phone and revealed that the president had invited the high school student to visit him in the Oval Office once he was well enough.
The president wrote: “Last night, I had a chance to call Ralph Yarl and his family. No parent should have to worry that their kid will be shot after ringing the wrong doorbell. We’ve got to keep up the fight against gun violence. And Ralph, we’ll see you in the Oval once you feel better.”
According to Kansas City Police on 13 April the high school junior had gone to collect his siblings from a friend’s house on 115th Terrace in Kansas City, Missouri when he muddled up the address and went to a home on 115th Street by mistake.
The teenager rang the doorbell and the homeowner allegedly opened fire on him. Andrew D Lester, an 84-year-old white homeowner, was charged over the incident, county prosecutor Zachary Thompson said in a press conference on Monday.
Ralph was shot twice – once in the head and once in the arm – according to Ben Crump and Lee Merritt, the prominent civil rights attorneys now representing him.
The attorneys said Mr Biden had called Ralph and his family on Monday shortly before they learned of the charges being brought against Mr Lester.
The president “offered his prayers for Ralph’s health and for justice”, they said in a statement.
The White House said Mr Biden had “shared his hope for a swift recovery”, reported Politico.
The incident has caused widespread anger in the Black community and led to protests and demands for justice from civil rights activists.
Prosecutors have also said there is a “racial component” to the case.
“He didn’t have his phone. He mistakenly went to the wrong house, one block away from the house where his siblings were. He pulled into the driveway and rang the doorbell,” the family said on a GoFundMe page.
“The man in the home opened the door, looked my nephew in the eye, and shot him in the head. My nephew fell to the ground, and the man shot him again,” said a woman on the GoFundMe page, who described herself as Ralph’s aunt.
On Monday evening, authorities revealed Mr Lester was initially taken into custody on Thursday and placed on a 24-hour hold and later released as per Missouri state law.
Clay County prosecutor Zachary Thompson said Mr Lester was charged with assault in the first degree, which carries a punishment of 10-30 years or life imprisonment.
He has also been charged with armed criminal action, which carries a punishment of 3-15 years.
Mr Thompson said a bond has been set of $200,000. Mr Lester handed himself in to police on Tuesday.
Ralph is now recovering at home.
