An 11-year-old was fatally shot and killed during a ding-dong ditch prank in Houston, Texas. On August 30, 2025, the minor was shot at roughly 10:55 p.m., according to a City of Houston news release. Sadly, the unnamed boy died of his injuries the next day.
“Houston police are investigating the fatal shooting of a juvenile male in the 9700 block of Racine Street,” the department noted, adding the boy’s identity will be released “pending verification by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.”
Houston Police Department Homicide Division Sergeant M. Cass and Detective J. Brown detailed in the news release that officers were told a boy was “ringing doorbells of homes in the area and running away.” The statement added, “A witness stated the male was running from a house, after ringing the doorbell, just prior to suffering a gunshot wound.”
One person was held at the home for questioning and released. Detectives are continuing to investigate the incident.
During an interview with Click2Houston, Houston resident Theresa Jones called the deadly shooting “really sad,” adding, “a bullet doesn’t have a name.”
A similar incident happened in May, when a man named Tyler Butler, 27, shot at and killed a teenager in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, while a group of high school students played ding-dong ditch on their prom night. Butler reportedly thought the teens were trying to break into his home at 3 a.m. on May 3, according to a news release from the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office. Two teens were shot, with Michael Bosworth Jr., 18, dying from his injuries. The other victim was treated for minor injuries.
In late July, Texas resident Damon Wolfe shot at a passing car after teenagers ding-dong-ditched his home, according to a news release from the Frisco Police Department. Wolfe, 58, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault for each person in the vehicle.
“Parents please talk to your kids about the dangers of participating in these types of TikTok challenges,” Frisco Police Chief David Shilson wrote in the August 18 news release. “The teens involved in this case are very fortunate they were not shot and killed or seriously injured. For homeowners, it is important to understand that there are legal and criminal consequences for running outside and shooting at a vehicle fleeing the scene.”
Shilson continued, “The bullets fired in this offense could have easily struck neighbors’ houses and had deadly consequences. This entire incident is completely senseless and avoidable had better decisions been made by all involved.”
