An 11-year-old boy died at a hospital on Sunday hours after he was shot by a homeowner during a ding, dong, ditch prank on Saturday night.
The boy had been ringing doorbells in the area and running as part of a prank known as ding, don't, ditch –in which participants knock on the door or ring the doorbell of a house or apartment and then run away before the resident answers the door.
Boy was Shot Multiple Times as He was Running From a House After Ringing the Doorbell
A witness stated the boy was running from a house, after ringing the doorbell, when he was shot and struck multiple times. The shooting was reported about an hour before midnight, and the boy was rushed to a hospital, where medical staff members confirmed he succumbed to his injuries on Sunday.
According to local news reports, more than one child was playing the game and that the shooting victim was initially hospitalized in critical condition. Police spokesperson Shay Awosiyan said that officers were still investigating and had not arrested anybody in connection with the boy's death as of Sunday evening. However, the homeowner, has been detained for questioning but not yet charged.
Deadly 'Ding, Dong, Ditch' Pranks
This is not the first time a "ding, dong, ditch" prank has turned deadly. In 2023, a Southern California man was convicted on three counts of first-degree murder for killing three teenage boys by intentionally ramming their car after they rang his doorbell as a prank.
And in May, a Virginia man was charged with second-degree murder for fatally shooting an 18-year-old who had rung his doorbell while a filming a TikTok video of the prank.
