Ralph Yarl is a beloved high school junior with many accomplishments as a student and musician in his local Kansas City, Missouri community. Today (April 18), hundreds of students at his school showed up and showed out for their friend and classmate.

To demonstrate their support for the 16-year-old, nearly 1,500 Staley High School students stepped out of class this morning and walked around the campus carrying signs and chanting, “We love you, Ralph!”

Yarl began to receive national attention after a near-fatal incident last week. He went to pick up his younger twin brothers from a friend’s house but mistakenly rang the doorbell at the wrong house. The homeowner, an elderly white man, shot him once in the head and again in the arm after he lay on the ground. Andrew Lester was charged with two felonies yesterday (April 17). Lester turned himself in to authorities today while Yarl’s recovery at home continues.

See some clips from the unity walk below.

“Ralph is an excellent student and talented musician,” North Kansas City School District Superintendent Dan Clemens said in a statement after the incident, according to KMBC. “He maintains a stellar GPA while taking mostly college-level courses. While he loves science and hopes to pursue that career path, his passion is music.”

Yarl’s specialties are the clarinet and bassoon, and he’s been recognized statewide for his accomplishments before even graduating high school. He recently earned a second chair position in the Missouri All-State Band with an honorable mention, and according to his family, he’s one of the top bass clarinet players in The Show-Me State. He’s also a section leader in his school marching band, plays multiple instruments in the Northland Symphony Youth Orchestra, and performs regularly as part of Staley High School’s jazz and competition band. See a photo of him playing at last year’s Missouri State High School Activities Association State Music Festival below.