Celebrities Speak Out After Ralph Yarl, Kaylin Gillis, More Shootings

Major celebrities have spoken out after the shootings of 16-year-old Ralph Yarl, Kaylin Gillis, 20, and Texas cheerleaders Heather Roth and Payton Washington.

Yarl was shot in Kansas City, Missouri, after accidentally going to the wrong house to pick up his siblings this month. Andrew D. Lester, 84, pleaded not guilty to felony charges of first-degree assault and armed criminal action. He told police he thought Yarl, who is Black, was trying to break in and was "scared to death."

The honors student, who survived the shooting, has returned home to recover after spending time in hospital and told police while he was there that Lester had allegedly said to him, "don't come around here."

Gillis was shot when the car she was in mistakenly went to the wrong address, in Hebron, New York. The homeowner, 65-year-old Kevin Monahan, came out and allegedly fired two shots at the car, one of which hit Gillis and killed her.

Roth was shot when she mistakenly got into the wrong car after cheerleading practice. She got out of her friend's car and headed over to what she thought was her car when she saw a man sitting in it.

The cheerleader went back to her friend's car and realized her mistake, so went back to apologize to the man when he allegedly opened fire, injuring Roth and critically injuring Washington.

Pedro Tello Rodriguez Jr., 25, was charged on Tuesday with deadly conduct with a firearm as Washington, who is expected to make a full recovery, remains in hospital.

There has been an outpouring of grief over the shootings with a number of A-listers calling for an end to violence.

Oscar winners Jennifer Hudson and Halle Berry posted to Twitter with the latter saying she was "tired" of hearing about shootings.

"His name is #RalphYarl and I'm sick and tired of this feeling...my heart completely broke when I learned this precious 16-year-old, who accidentally rang the door of the wrong address in an attempt to pick up his siblings, was shot in the head..." she said. "...by a man who didn't want him on his property. This innocent child is now fighting for his life. This could be your child. This should NOT happen."

Hudson wrote alongside a photo of Yarl: "My God !!! Heartbroken for this young man and his family. Praying for his complete recovery ! #RalphYarl."

Singer Justin Timberlake also shared his grief on Twitter.

"#RalphYarl accidentally rang the door of the wrong house while trying to pick up his siblings. For this, a man shot him in the head. Then shot him a 2nd time as he was on the ground. The man is free and the 16-year-old is fighting for his life in the hospital. This can't be it," he wrote.

Scandal actress Kerry Washington tweeted: "Instead of waiting around for #LoveIsBlind...make a phone call. For #RalphYarl. Demand that Prosecutor Zachary Thompson make an arrest and bring the appropriate charges. 👉🏾816-736-8300👈🏾."

Thompson announced the charges against Lester on Monday evening.

President Joe Biden also shared his thoughts on Yarl's shooting and promised the teen a visit to the White House once he was recovered.

"Last night, I had a chance to call Ralph Yarl and his family. No parent should have to worry that their kid will be shot after ringing the wrong doorbell. We've got to keep up the fight against gun violence," the president tweeted. "And Ralph, we'll see you in the Oval once you feel better."

Over on Instagram, The Real Housewives of Atlanta star Porsha Williams shared her grief over Gillis' murder.

"Omg poor baby 🙏🏾💔," she wrote in the comments of a post by People magazine.

Reality stars Jax Taylor from Vanderpump Rules and 90 Day Fiance's Loren Brovarnik shared their thoughts on the Texas shooting.

"Every day it's something else now... it's getting to the point where we can't leave our homes," Taylor wrote on an Instagram post about the cheerleaders.

Brovarnik added on the same post: "People shoot a gun before even asking a question these days. 💔"