An 11-year-old boy was killed in Houston after being shot while playing a prank with friends, officials said.
The child and several others were playing “ding-dong-ditch,” a game where kids ring someone’s doorbell and run away before the door is answered, PEOPLE previously reported.
The shooting happened around 10:55 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 30, according to a City of Houston news release. The boy was taken to the hospital, where he died the next day, Sunday, Aug. 31.
“Houston police are investigating the fatal shooting of a juvenile male in the 9700 block of Racine Street,” the release said, adding that the victim’s identity “is pending verification by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.”
Investigators said witnesses saw the boy running from a house after ringing a doorbell just before he was shot.
Police detained one person at the scene for questioning, but that individual was later released. Detectives are still gathering information.
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Resident Theresa Jones called the shooting “really sad,” and told Click2Houston that guns should never be around children, noting that “a bullet doesn’t have a name.”
Police have not yet released the shooter’s identity or announced if any charges will be filed.
This is not the first time a “ding-dong-ditch” prank has led to gunfire in Texas. On July 28, a Frisco Police Department report said that Damon Wolfe, 58, fired several shots after hearing a loud bang on his door. Believing pranksters were involved, he shot at a passing car.
Wolfe was arrested on Aug. 7 and charged with three counts of aggravated assault — one for each person in the vehicle. If convicted, he could face between two and 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
“Parents, please talk to your kids about the dangers of participating in these types of TikTok challenges,” Frisco Police Chief David Shilson said in an Aug. 18 statement.
He added that the teens in that case were lucky not to be seriously hurt, and warned homeowners that there are legal consequences for shooting at fleeing suspects.
“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,” Shilson said.
