By Allison Jordan, Chandler Hall, & Devin Hughes
On April 13, 2023, 16-year-old Ralph Yarl was sent to pick up his younger twin brothers from a friend’s home when an address mix-up nearly cost him his life. After confusing Northeast 115th Street for Northeast 115th Terrace, located one block away, Ralph mistakenly rang the doorbell of an armed 84-year-old man. The homeowner instantly opened fire on the teen through a glass door, shooting him once in the forehead and again in the arm. Ralph was forced to flee for his life as an irresponsible gun owner decided he would become the judge, jury, and executioner of a teenager who arrived at the wrong home.
Every day, 327 people are shot in the United States. Of those, an estimated 117 die, while the other 210 deal with lifelong injuries. Yet despite the harsh realities of gun violence, roughly half of Americans believe firearms increase safety by allowing law-abiding citizens to protect themselves. This conviction is so widespread that 2023 survey data found that 72 percent of gun owners cite personal protection as a “major reason” for gun ownership, notwithstanding overwhelming evidence demonstrating that firearms are not an effective means of self-defense. -- CLICK STORY TO READ MORE