Ding dong ditch is a game even our grandparents have played in their youth. What was once a harmless prank turned into a game that has overwhelming risks. That risk is the cost of your life.
In Houston, Texas, 11-year-old Julian Guzman was at a family gathering. Guzman and his cousin grew bored and decided to play the classic game of Ding Dong Ditch. It was simple, ring the doorbell and run. However, this had unknowingly cost Guzman’s life.
The pair walked up to a blue house, rang the doorbell, and ran. District Attorney Sean Tere had told CNN that the boys were already 20 feet away, when the homeowner shot Guzman not once but twice, resulting in homicide.
Harris County Police were granted a warrant and searched home owner Gonzalo Leon’s house. Police found and seized 20 firearms and Leon was found in a hotel 25 miles out of Houston with his family, possessing a large amount of clothes after the death of Guzman. Leon claimed that they were just trying to escape the media. He was then served and had a bond set for $1 million.
“I just think it’s so sad that someone would be so paranoid that they had to shoot a kid because of a harmless prank,” ELA teacher Alexander Schaper said.
Schaper and many other teachers, such as art teacher Carrie Middendorf, had participated in this age-old prank. However, the irritating little prank has evolved over the generations. Social media platforms like TikTok have created a trend where kids would donkey kick doors or have groups of five or more, throw their bodies against doors.
“I think that the urge to share recordings and photos with the internet had made it seem like they needed to one up every prank,” Schaper said when the new trend was brought up in an interview.
A junior at Liberty expressed how if anyone were to try and kick or break down their door they would retaliate to protect themselves from this irrational threat. The worst part is that Middendorf herself has neighbors that experienced this scary prank.
“I have seen the trend of where people break down peoples doors. My neighbors post videos of kids doing that. At that point it’s no longer a fun prank, it is now an act of vandalism,” Middendorf said.
Now if this trend continues, would you let any of your loved ones ding-dong ditch?
