US President Joe Biden has invited the black youth who rang the wrong doorbell and was shot by a white homeowner to the White House. He called the 16-year-old and his family, he wrote on Twitter on Tuesday evening (local time).
“No parent should have to worry about their child getting shot for ringing the wrong doorbell,” he added. The fight against gun violence in the United States must continue. “We’ll see you in the Oval (office) as soon as you’re better,” Biden added.
Racist motivation conceivable
The incident happened last Thursday in Kansas City. According to his family, the boy was due to pick up his younger siblings by car at around 10 p.m. from a friend’s house. Instead of going to Northeast 115th Terrace, he accidentally drove to nearby Northeast 115 Street and rang the bell there.
According to prosecutors, the 84-year-old homeowner then shot the boy, hitting him in the head and arm.
The man turned himself in to police and was temporarily arrested. He was released on bail. He is accused, among other things, of aggravated assault, which in the state of Missouri can be punished with life imprisonment.
According to the public prosecutor’s office, there could also be a “racist component”. However, the indictment does not state that the shots were racially motivated. The 84-year-old himself said that he was very shocked and thought he had to protect himself from a physical altercation.
There had been protests in the days after the incident. Celebrities such as Hollywood actress Halle Berry also intervened and called for decisive action by the judiciary against the homeowner.
The 16-year-old underwent surgery but has since been released from the hospital. Doctors expected a full recovery, the father told the New York Times.
However, the mother, a nurse, told CBS that she was very concerned about her son’s emotional state: “Most of the time he just sits there and stares straight ahead with buckets of tears rolling out of his eyes. You can see he’s replaying the situation over and over again.”
The renewed case of gun violence in the United States sparked protests in Kansas City. According to media reports, hundreds of the boy’s classmates also took to the streets. According to his family, the 16-year-old plays bass clarinet in a youth orchestra and is a keen athlete. After graduating from high school, he wants to go to university and become a chemical engineer, his mother said. (dpa / AFP)
