Teenager Fatally Shot Throughout ‘Ding Dong Ditch’ TikTok Prank


A virginia man has been charged with second diploma homicide after In accordance with court docket information and native authorities.

The spotsylvania sherif’s workplace responded to a report a Resident Firing Photographs throughout a Housebreaking, and Discovered Two Youngsters with Gunshot Wounds, The Workplace stated in an announcement. One of many youngsters, michael bosworth jr., 18, later died of his wounds. The second individual was handled for minor accidents, and a 3rd individual within the group was unhurt, the sherif’s workplace stated. The 2 associates with Mr. Bosworth was each underneath 18.

The teenners had been within the neighborhood to make a tiktok video, one among them advised investigators in an affffidavit filed in Spotsylvania Circuit CORT. A “Ding Dong Ditch” prank entails ringing doorbells or knocking on the entrance doorways of homes earlier than operating Away, and has turn into in style fodder for social media movies.

“The juvenile suggested it is one thing that individuals are doing to placed on tiktok,” The affidavit stated.

The group hadnocked on a extra doorways within the space, one of many youngsters advised a detective, including that they weren’t household with the neighborhood. They have been operating away from a residence after they have been shot, based on the affidavit. A minimum of one video exhibiting the youngsters doing the prank was nonetheless on one of many associates’ telephones, the affidavit stated.

The Authorities Arrested Tyler Chase Butler, 27, of Spotsylvania County, on Tuesday on Prices of Second Diploma Homicide, Malicious Wounding and Use of a Firearm Within the Fee of a Felony, the Sheriff Workplace stated. He was being assist at rappahannock regional jail on no bond, it stated.

Mr. Bosworth was a Senior at Massaponax Excessive College in Fredericksburg, Va. The highschool, which was set to carry its commencement for Seniors on Could 13, Despatched a message to the college communication that counselors could be out there to assist grieving college students.

A spokesman for the spotsylvania sherif’s workplace, reached by cellphone, declined to remark additional. A Lawyer for Mr. Butler didn’t immomedialy reply to requests for remark. G. Ryan Mehaffey, The Commonwealth’s Lawyer for SpotSylvania County, Declined to remark however stated a preliminary listening to has been scheduled for june 18.

This fashion of prank has been to journey prior to now. In 2020, a person in california craied right into a automotive of six youngsters, killing three of them, after They performed an identical prank onHe was sentenced to life in jail in 2023.

On tuesday, a gaggle of scholars gathered on the soccer subject at Massaponax Excessive College to Bear in mind their classmate, based on a video Shared by an instagram account run by college students from the college. They shared reminiscence about Mr. Bosworth and Wrote Messages on Balloons Earlier than Releasing Them at Sundown.

Jonathan wolfe and Michael Levenson Contributeed reporting. Susan C. Beachy Contributed analysis.