By Peter Omopo
September 2, 2025
An 11-year-old boy in Houston, Texas, was shot dead after a doorbell prank popularly known as “ding dong ditch” turned tragic over the weekend.
Police said the child had rung a neighbour’s doorbell and was running away when he was fatally struck by gunfire on Saturday.
The suspected shooter, 42-year-old Leon Gonzalo Jr., has been charged with murder and booked into jail on Tuesday, according to Harris County court records. His listed address matches the home from which the shots were fired.
“Officers were told the male was ringing doorbells of homes in the area and running away,” police said in a statement. “A witness stated the male was running from a house, after ringing the doorbell, just prior to suffering a gunshot wound.”
Houston police homicide Sgt. Michael Cass told local media that the shooting did not appear to be an act of self-defence, noting that the incident “wasn’t close to the house.”
The case highlights growing concerns over dangerous pranks inspired by TikTok and other social media platforms. While “ding dong ditching” is a long-running mischief game where individuals ring doorbells and flee, recent online versions show participants pounding or kicking doors, escalating tensions with homeowners.
The boy’s death is the latest in a series of fatal incidents linked to viral challenges in the United States, sparking renewed calls for parental vigilance and stricter social media accountability.
