An 11-year-old boy was fatally shot in Houston after a doorbell prank turned deadly, leading to the arrest of a 42-year-old man now facing a murder charge.
Police said the victim had rung a doorbell and was running away when Leon Gonzalo Jr., whose residence matched the address of the shooting, opened fire on Saturday night. Witnesses confirmed the boy was struck while fleeing the scene.
Court records show Gonzalo was booked into the Harris County Jail on Tuesday morning.
Houston police ruled out self-defence in the case, noting the shooting happened some distance from the house. “This wasn’t close to the house,” said Sgt. Michael Cass of the homicide division.
The prank, commonly known as “ding dong ditch,” involves ringing a doorbell and quickly running off.
The decades-old game has recently resurfaced as part of a TikTok trend, with some variations encouraging participants to pound on or kick front doors.
Authorities said the boy’s death adds to a growing list of children harmed in similar incidents linked to the viral challenge.