A high school senior and three-sport athlete was shot and killed after a TikTok prank known as “ding dong ditch” ended in tragedy.
Michael Bosworth Jr., 18, was fatally shot around 3 a.m. on Saturday, May 3, outside a home in Fredericksburg, Virginia, after he and two friends knocked on a door as part of the prank, authorities said. One of his friends was also wounded in the incident.
Tyler Chase Butler, 27, the homeowner, has been charged with second-degree murder, malicious wounding, and two counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony. He told investigators that he believed the teens were attempting to break into his home.
However, according to police documents cited by local outlets, the surviving teens insisted it was only a prank meant to be filmed and posted on TikTok.
One teen who was grazed by a bullet said they were searching for a place to hide when Butler opened fire. Another teen, who was not injured, confirmed to police that the group was playing “ding dong ditch,” a game where players knock or ring a doorbell and then flee.
Bosworth, a senior at Massaponax High School, was a standout in football, lacrosse, and wrestling. The shooting occurred just hours before he was scheduled to attend his senior prom.
Butler is currently being held without bond at the Rappahannock Regional Jail. The investigation remains ongoing.
