Grandson of Andrew Lester Throws the 84-Year-Old Under the Bus, But Then His Brother Speaks Up
The grandson of a white 84-year-old man who shot a black teenager in Kansas City after he approached the wrong home while attempting to pick up his siblings told CNN his grandfather a racist and a conspiracy theorist.
But another of the man’s grandsons has argued his grandfather was not motivated to shoot 16-year-old Ralph Yarl because he is black.
Yarl rang the doorbell of Andrew Lester’s home two weeks ago on April 13 while he attempted to pick up his younger brothers, the Associated Press reported.
The teen approached his porch, and Lester opened fire, striking the teen in the forehead and in the arm.
Yarl survived the shooting, while Lester was arrested and later released on a $200,000 bond.
He is charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action and has said he opened fire because he was scared the teen was attempting to break into his home.
Local political figures have politicized the shooting, and Yarl later received a phone call from President Joe Biden, NBC News reported.
Some have claimed the shooting was racially motivated.
That includes Lester’s grandson Klint Ludwig, who told CNN’s Don Lemon Thursday his grandfather has “racist tendencies.”
“He’s just a stock, American Christian male,” he said of Lester. “The conspiracies and weird, random racist things they say, it doesn’t make sense, but they’re just scared.”
Klint Ludwig also told Lemon, “The warning signs were there. I wasn’t shocked when I heard the news.”
The grandson also blamed Fox News for the shooting, and said Lester held views that were anti-abortion.
But Klint Ludwig’s older brother Daniel Ludwig disputed claims from his brother that his grandfather would harm anyone simply because of the color of their skin.
In an interview with The New York Times, Daniel Ludwig described his grandfather as a gentle and loving man.
“These people are not close to him like I am,” Daniel Ludwig told the newspaper in a text message.
Daniel Ludwig said Lester is a conservative who “spoiled” those he loves and described him as “literally too nice.”
He also spoke to The Kansas City Star, and he blamed the shooting on a series of unfortunate events.
“It’s just sad and I wish it didn’t happen,” he said. “It seems like a bunch of mistakes in a row that resulted in a tragedy. I mean, a lot of mistakes all the way around, unfortunately.”
Yarl is continuing his recovery at home while Lester is expected in court on June 1.
Lester could face a sentence of up to life in prison if he is convicted of the crimes he is charged with, ABC News reported.
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