A game of ding-dong-ditch turned deadly in Virginia, when a homeowner allegedly opened fire on a group of teens in the middle of the night.
Ding-dong-ditch prank ends with fatality
Authorities say 18-year-old Michael Bosworth Jr., a high school senior, was fatally shot during what surviving participants described as a doorbell-ringing prank known as “ding-dong ditch.”
The shooting occurred around 3 a.m. on May 3, when the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a possible break-in at a residence.
According to officials, the homeowner had fired multiple shots during the incident.
When they arrived at the scene, deputies found two teenagers wounded by gunfire and a third unharmed.
Bosworth, one of the wounded teens, was transported to a nearby hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Another minor teenage boy received treatment and was released, while the third person involved, also a juvenile, was not injured.
The sheriff’s office stated that the identities of the other two teenagers will not be disclosed due to their age.
Homeowner arrested for shooting teens during ding-dong-ditch prank
On Tuesday, authorities arrested 27-year-old Tyler Chase Butler in connection with the shooting.
He is facing multiple charges including second-degree murder, malicious wounding, and two counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony.
Butler is currently being held without bond at the Rappahannock Regional Jail.
Investigators later determined that the three teens had been engaging in a prank where they rang doorbells and ran away.
One of the surviving juveniles reportedly told detectives that they had targeted several homes that night, including Butler’s, and even recorded at least one video of their actions.
The plan was to upload the videos to TikTok, to participate in what has become a growing online trend to ding-dong-ditch unsuspecting homeowners, according to WJLA-TV.
After the group carried out the prank at Butler’s home, they attempted to flee and hide, but were met with gunfire instead.
The teen who spoke to police about the event claimed they had not attempted to force entry into the home.
However, Captain Charles Carey with the sheriff’s office said the 911 call received at the time indicated that three individuals were allegedly trying to kick in the back door of the house.
The surviving teens were read their Miranda rights during the investigation, but neither has been charged.
At least one of them reportedly handed over a phone to investigators voluntarily. Authorities also secured search warrants for the juveniles’ phones as part of their inquiry into the incident.
Bosworth was a senior at Massaponax High School in Fredericksburg and a multi-sport athlete, participating in football, lacrosse, and wrestling, according to his stepfather.
The shooting reportedly occurred just hours before the school’s scheduled prom.
Ex-boyfriend’s alleged prank ends with charges
In another disturbing incident involving a so-called prank, a man in South Carolina was taken into custody after allegedly sneaking into his ex-girlfriend’s residence and hiding in her shower with a knife.
Police reports indicate that 25-year-old Jackson Arnold entered the woman’s Charleston home through a detached garage apartment while she was away.
Once inside, he concealed his face with a pair of biker shorts and hid in the shower, waiting for her return. Authorities say Arnold was not wearing pants or underwear at the time.
When the woman came back home, Arnold allegedly emerged from the shower and began mimicking stabbing and slicing gestures near her neck while wielding a knife.
Officers stated that the weapon never made contact with the woman’s skin, but the threat was clear.
At one point, Arnold reportedly raised the knife to the side of his head, prompting the woman to push him away.
He then allegedly dropped the knife and began choking her with his left hand, cutting off her ability to breathe.
“The victim was able to remove the shorts from the unknown male’s face,” the arrest report reads. “It was at that time she realized it was her ex-boyfriend.”
Arnold reportedly told the woman he was playing a prank and wanted to have a conversation.
She eventually managed to flee to the main house and alerted others inside, who then called 911.
Arnold was arrested on Sunday and charged with assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, first-degree burglary, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.
He is currently being held at the Al Cannon Detention Center, after being denied bail during an initial hearing May 4. His court appearance is scheduled for June 19.
