An 11-year-old was fatally shot after ringing a neighbour’s doorbell and running away during an age-old prank. On Saturday night, the deceased, Julián Guzman, and his cousin slipped away from a family party to play “ding dong ditch”, a prank where children knock on doors or ring doorbells before running off.
The cousins had already played the prank on several homes when they approached a two-storey house on Mimbrough Street in Houston, Texas. After knocking, they sprinted away.
Authorities say homeowner Gonzalo Leon Jr, a 42-year-old Army veteran, came outside armed with a gun. According to court documents, he fired once into the ground before raising his weapon and shooting again, striking Julián in the back.
The boy’s cousin described dragging him away from the property after he collapsed, crying for help. Julián was rushed to the hospital but died the following day from his injuries.
Prosecutors have charged Leon with murder, saying his response went far beyond any reasonable claim of self-defence. Investigators found no evidence that Julián was armed or posed any danger. “The castle doctrine does not apply in any way, shape or form to an 11-year-old boy running down the street,” District Attorney Sean Teare said, according to CNN.
Leon, who previously served in Afghanistan, was later arrested. According to reports, inside his home, police reported finding around 20 firearms, including rifles and handguns.
He is being held on a $1 million bond that was set on Wednesday. The court ruled that if released, Leon must remain under house arrest and be tracked through an electronic monitoring device.
A similar incident in late last July saw a homeowner in a Dallas suburb firing shots at a car after its occupants knocked on his door, resulting in the suspect being arrested and charged with aggravated assault.
Once considered a harmless childhood prank, “ding-dong-ditch” has made a dramatic comeback thanks to social media. Trends on platforms like TikTok have encouraged kids and teens to film themselves ringing doorbells and running away. However, there have been several incidents across the country that ended with serious injuries or deaths.