Houston police are investigating a tragic shooting that left an 11-year-old boy dead after a late-night prank turned fatal.
Authorities said the boy and a group of friends were playing “ding dong ditch”, a game where children ring a doorbell and run away, when shots were fired shortly after 11 p.m. Saturday on Racine Street.
The child was struck and later pronounced dead at the hospital.
Officers responded to the scene and used a bullhorn to order the homeowner to surrender.
The man was immediately detained for questioning. While formal charges have not yet been filed, investigators indicated he is likely to face a murder charge.
“It’ll more than likely be a murder charge,” Sgt. Michael Cass of the Houston Police Department told KHOU, noting that the boy was shot some distance away from the house, which could undermine any self-defense claim.
Police said they are reviewing surveillance footage and consulting with the district attorney’s office.
The killing has shaken the community.
“A tragedy like this had never happened before,” said 70-year-old George Skinner, a longtime resident.
“Me and a couple of my neighbors, we just were real sad that something like that actually happened to a child, you know? Ten years old, you got a long way to go.”
The incident comes amid a rise in dangerous outcomes linked to the prank, which has resurfaced as a TikTok challenge.
In May, an 18-year-old in Virginia was shot and killed while filming a “ding dong ditch” video, and in 2020, three teenagers in California died after a driver deliberately rammed their car in retaliation for the prank.
Authorities have repeatedly warned that while the game may appear harmless, it can provoke violent reactions and carry serious risks — from criminal charges to life-threatening consequences.