KANSAS CITY, Mo. — North Kansas City Schools Superintendent Dr. Dan Clemens said he, and others with the district, are "devastated" to learn that Ralph Yarl, a 16-year-old junior at Staley High School, was shot last week after arriving to the wrong address while trying to pick up his siblings from a home.
Police say someone inside the house opened fire on Yarl, and the teenager was transported to an area hospital after suffering life-threatening injuries.
Clemens described the shooting as "horrific" and that the NKC Schools community is wishing him a speedy recovery.
"Thankfully, we know he is now recovering alongside family," Clemens said.
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In the statement, Clemens described Yarl as an "excellent student and talented musician."
"He maintains a stellar GPA while taking mostly college level courses," he said. "While he loves science and hopes to pursue that career path, his passion is music."
Clemens said that he knows he shares the same feelings of "anger, frustration, shock and disbelief" that many are experiencing, and that educators in the district are focused on supporting Yarl, his family, other students and staff members, while the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department completes its investigation into the shooting.
NKC Schools will be providing additional resources to students throughout the school week.
While the Clay County, Missouri, Sheriff's Office is not the agency investigating the shooting, its deputies do serve as school resource deputies at Staley High School, Yarl's school.
"We're devastated this happened to him," the sheriff's office said in a statement. "We pray for his swift healing & look forward to seeing Ralph in the halls again very soon."
