A black teenager was shot dead in Missouri Thursday night after calling the wrong house to pick up his siblings.
Ralph Yarl was shot in the head after confronting a white man in his 80s who shot him in Kansas City, police said.
Yarl, a 16-year-old clarinetist, was rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries but is now said to be off the hook.
The homeowner and shooter was arrested and released 24 hours later.
The teen’s aunt shared the story on the GoFundMe platform and had raised more than $1.5 million (around CAD$2 million) by Monday afternoon.
“The man inside 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 again. Ralph was able to get up and run to the nearest house for help,” the aunt said.
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She also claimed that Ralph was forced to ring the bell at three different houses before someone helped him “after being asked to lie on the floor with his hands up”.
The Kansas City Police Chief said prosecutors are ready to take the case once officers collect all the evidence.
The incident was officially classified as a case of mistaken identity.
Police also claimed the initial evidence did not “suggest a racial motive” but noted there were “racial components” to the case that police will investigate further.
The victim must also testify in order for the investigation to be completed, she added.