Kansas City Teen Shooting Ignites Selective Outrage Amid Homicide Crisis

There have been quite a few teens who have been shot in Kansas City over the past few years and for the most part nobody cares. 

However . . . 

A recent news report about a teen encountering gunfire after knocking at the wrong address has stirred anger, social justice protest and demands for hate crime investigation. 

Consider . . .

Six people shot near Prospect Ave. including a toddler hasn't elicited a peep from our elected leaders or political contenders. In fact, KCMO is currently setting a record-breaking pace for homicides and none of the candidates running for office really want to talk about the issue . . . We even notice fewer vigils amid warmer weather.

What's the reason for the disparity in reaction???

Well, even the KCPD Chief was forced to acknowledge the "racial component" of this wrong address shooting case. 

But there's more to it than that . . .

Initially, we wanted this post to examine fear and so much culture war blathering that might inspire many suburbanites to mistakenly believe that "people of color" are lurking outside of their door waiting to steal their cheese, Crocs & Apple products. However, on second thought, amid the protest we noticed so many youngsters also expressing the delusional myth that ALL minorities are "targeted" in the suburbs by old white dudes obsessed with lawn care and racial hatred. In both instances there's a slight exaggeration that's mostly used, in a practical sense, to garner sympathy from chubby white women -- The blessed constituency who have clandestinely decided nearly every facet of Western Civilization from movable type to yoga pants. 

But, in the desperate hope to offend challenge every perspective in order arrive at some version of the truth, I digress . . .

For our right-wing reactionary friends who can't wait to get on their high horse about this one: 

Gun owners with proper training should understand that there really is NO DEFENSE for shooting somebody who is merely knocking at your door. Gun ownership is a constitutional right that comes with a great deal of responsibility which limits people from taking aim at salesman, stranded motorists, utility workers, & Girl Scouts. 

Amid demands for hate crime charges and promises for further investigation . . . The only thing we know for certain is that the cycle of violence in Kansas City, Missouri will persist and future killings won't meet with similar fanfare when there is no culture war capital at stake. 

Put simply . . . 

For the most part, national news doesn't really care if you kill somebody who is the same color as you. 

Don't worry . . . It gets worse . . . 

Whilst so many of our progressive activist friends demand arrest and swift justice against a suburbanite with an allegedly itchy trigger finger . . . We can't help but notice these same folks advocating against police and decrying prison consequences for violent offenders in the urban core. 

Our only real takeaway . . . 

There aren't really any good guys in this story other than the poor kid who suffered gunfire for, reportedly, merely trying to pick up his siblings. 

Most everyone else seems to be working an angle that serves to benefit their own cause above all else. 

And so we check the recap and link to more resources . . . 

The shooting fueled a protest in Kansas City on Sunday, with hundreds gathering outside the home where Yarl was shot . . .

Protesters marched as they chanted, “justice for Ralph” and “Black lives matter,” and carried signs reading, “Ringing a doorbell is not a crime” and “The shooter should do the time,” footage shows.

“We demand swift action from Clay County prosecutors and law enforcement to identify, arrest and prosecute to the full extent of the law the man responsible for this horrendous and unjustifiable shooting,” the statement from the victim’s attorneys read.

Asked whether the shooting may have been racially motivated, the KCPD police chief Stacey Graves said, “the information that we have now, it does not say that that is racially motivated. That’s still an active investigation. But as a chief of police, I do recognize the racial components of this case.”

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . .

Family seeks justice for teen shot in head while trying to pick up siblings at wrong address

Protestors gathered to speak out for justice of a teenage boy who was shot twice while attempting to pick up his siblings at the wrong residential address. Ralph Yarl, 16, is currently in the hospital, recovering from severe gun shot injuries in the head after a man allegedly shot him twice.

'He is healing': Family of 16-year-old Ralph Yarl, community seeking justice

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Sunday, the family of 16-year-old Ralph Yarl stood side by side with hundreds of community members from across the Kansas City metro. Uniting to protest for justice, those who gathered started at a nearby Dollar Tree and marched to the residence where Yarl was shot, located at 1100 NE 115th St.

Kansas City officials address teen shot by homeowner as community protests

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City, Missouri's chief of police and mayor, as well as the Clay County prosecuting attorney, came together Sunday for a news conference on the case of the teenager shot by a homeowner after visiting the wrong home the night of April 13.

KCPD assures public 'thorough' investigation underway of teen's shooting in Clay County

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department held a press conference with KCMO Mayor Quinton Lucas Sunday afternoon to assure the public the shooting of a 16-year-old on April 13 is being 'thoroughly' investigated. KCPD Chief Stacey Graves said the alleged suspect was taken into custody after the incident and was placed on a 24-hour investigative hold.

Community protests after teen is shot in Clay County while trying to pick up siblings

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - There is outrage and concern across the nation three days after a teenager was shot by a homeowner after going to the wrong address to pick up his siblings in Clay County. Nearly one thousand people marched to the Northland home where it happened.

Hundreds Gather in the Northland to Support Teen Shot on Thursday Night

Hundreds of protestors took to the streets of the Northland Sunday in a sign of a support for a 16-year-old shot on Thursday night. Ralph Yarl was trying to pick up his siblings from a house in the 1100 block of NE 115th Terrace. Instead, he ended up at NE 115th street.

KC police chief says investigation of teen's shooting is moving as quickly as possible

Police Chief Stacey Graves said Sunday the police department is working to make sure the investigation of the shooting of a Black teen-ager moves as quickly as it can so the case can be presented to the Clay County prosecutor.

KCMO leaders address the shooting of a teen in Clay County that sparked protests over the weekend

Kansas City, Missouri Police Chief Stacey Graves and KCMO Mayor Quinton Lucas held a joint press conference Sunday afternoon to address the investigation into a shooting that left a teenager critically injured late last week in Clay County.Late on Thursday, April 13, 16-year-old Ralph Yarl was meant to pick up a sibling at a house along NE 115th Terrace.

Black Kansas City teen shot after going to wrong address to pick up siblings

Kansas City police were working to quickly prepare evidence for the Clay county prosecutor in the shooting of a Black teenager who was trying to pick up his younger brothers from a friend's house on Thursday.

Kansas City Teenager Shot After Going to Wrong House to Pick Up His Siblings

A Kansas City teenager was shot after going to the wrong home to pick up siblings Thursday night. Local news station Fox 4 reported that police found the teen suffering life-threatening injuries after officers were dispatched to the neighborhood at 10 p.m.

Outrage mounts over shooting of Black teen who knocked on wrong Kansas City door

Authorities in Kansas City, Mo., on Sunday promised a full investigation into a homeowner's shooting of a Black teen who rang the wrong doorbell by mistake, sparking public outrage. Family members identified the boy as 16-year-old Ralph Yarl and said he had gone to pick up his younger twin brothers when he knocked on the wrong door a few blocks away.

A teenager was shot by a homeowner after going to the wrong house to pick up siblings, Kansas City police say | CNN

A teenager was shot and wounded by a homeowner after mistakenly going to the wrong home to pick up his siblings in Kansas City, Missouri, police said Sunday. Officers responded to reports of a shooting on the evening ofApril 13 and arrived to find a teenager who had been shot by a homeowner outside of a residence, according to Kansas City Police.

Developing . . .