A tragic incident has unfolded in Houston, Texas, where an 11-year-old boy was fatally shot after playing a doorbell prank, commonly known as “ding dong ditch.”
Authorities confirmed that 42-year-old Leon Gonzalo Jr. has been charged with murder following the incident on Saturday. According to Harris County court records, Gonzalo was booked into jail on Tuesday morning. His residence matches the address from which the fatal shots were fired.
Witnesses reported that the young boy had rung the doorbell of the home and was running away when he was struck. “Officers were told the male was ringing doorbells of homes in the area and running away,” police said. “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 clarified that the shooting did not appear to be in self-defence, noting that the incident “wasn’t close to the house.”
The “ding dong ditch” prank, an age-old childhood game where individuals ring doorbells and flee, has resurfaced in recent years as a viral social media challenge. Videos shared on TikTok often depict pranksters pounding on or even kicking front doors. Sadly, the trend has now been linked to multiple tragic outcomes across the country.
The Houston community has been left shaken, with growing calls for awareness around the risks of viral dares and challenges.
