Texas man arrested for shooting at teenagers doing 'ding, dong, ditch'
Damon Wolfe, 58, of Frisco was arrested on Aug. 7 on three counts of aggravated assault after he fired multiple shots at a vehicle with three teenagers in it on July 28, Frisco Police Department said in a news release Aug. 18.
Officers with the Frisco Police Department responded to a report of shots fired outside a residence in central Frisco around 10:50 p.m. July 28, with the reporting party saying they "had shot at someone who tried to kick in his door."
Preliminary investigation revealed Wolfe went out onto the street after hearing a loud bang on his door and "fired multiple rounds at a passing vehicle, as he believed the occupants to be involved."
The same night, officers responded to a location about six miles from Wolfe's residence "in reference to a vehicle being shot at," where the driver and two occupants told police their vehicle was shot at as they were driving away.
Occupants admitted to 'ding', dong, ditching'
Subsequent interviews revealed all three occupants "admitted to ding, dong, ditching in a random neighborhood when they were confronted by a male with a firearm."
Officers observed "what appeared to be three bullet holes in the vehicle," which was then processed by the Frisco CSI team, and Frisco Detectives "canvassed the neighborhood for damage and any cameras that captured the incident."
Based on the information gathered during the initial investigation, Frisco detectives "believed probable cause existed that Wolfe had committed aggravated assault against the three victims and sought three warrants for his arrest (one for each occupant)," the news release said, adding a judge signed the warrants and Wolfe was subsequently taken into custody on August 7.
Aggravated assault is a second-degree felony and carries a punishment of 2 to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000, according to the news release.
'Senseless' and 'avoidable' incident
Frisco Police Chief David Shilson, in a statement, regretted the incident and advised parents to talk to their kids "about the dangers of participating in these types of TikTok challenges."
'The teens involved in this case are very fortunate they were not shot and killed or seriously injured," Shilson said.
Shilson also urged homeowners to avoid "running outside and shooting at a vehicle fleeing the scene" and to understand the legal and criminal repercussions of it.
"The bullets fired in this offense could have easily struck neighbors' houses and had deadly consequences," Shilson said. "This entire incident is completely senseless and avoidable had better decisions been made by all involved.'
Police said that there is no threat to the public and that an investigation into the incident remains active. They added that no additional information will be released at this time. The Frisco Police Department did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for an update on the investigation.
Authorities have also requested anyone with information on the incident to contact the Frisco Police Department at 972-292-6010 or submit a tip using Tip411 (text FRISCOPD + the tip to 847411).
What is 'ding, dong, ditching'?
Ding dong ditch is a "children's prank involving ringing someone's doorbell and running away before they answer," according to Dictionary.com. The prank involves a person or persons going up to a random house and ringing the doorbell before running away.
Earlier this year, a Virginia teenager was allegedly shot and killed by a homeowner while filming the TikTok prank videos with friends, USA TODAY previously reported. The teenager's friends told deputies that they were filming TikTok videos of them doing a "ding dong ditch" prank when they were shot at.
The homeowner, meanwhile, was arrested and charged with several crimes, including second-degree murder.
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Frisco man accused of firing at teenagers doing 'ding, dong, ditch'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Strong First-Day Attendance at LAUSD Schools Despite Immigration Fears
This article was originally published in EdSource. Four days after a 15-year-old with a disability was mistakenly detained and handcuffed by immigration agents outside of Arleta High School, the first day of the new school year in the Los Angeles Unified School District seemed normal. Students at Arleta High walked through the school's annual red carpet on Thursday as music played and cheerleaders performed. Teachers, like Nicole Patin, greeted them while passing out flyers in English and Spanish to parents and red cards detailing what to do if stopped or detained by an ICE agent. Close friends and former colleagues joined in to welcome the students, including some of Patin's former students. Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter 'It was actually even emotional, because they just decided to show up,' said Patin, who also serves as chair of the school's United Teachers Los Angeles chapter. 'People that, at one point, were dear friends that had worked, people that were retired, they all came out to help us kick the year off in the right way.' Similar sentiments reigned across Los Angeles Unified as students returned to school, district officials said during a press conference at Gardena High School. And amid heightened immigration fears, district Superintendent Alberto Carvalho touted a 92% attendance rate districtwide — two percentage points higher than last year, a direct result of outreach that included more than 11,000 phone calls and 1,000 home visits. 'We're very proud of you, and I just want to echo our happiness and congratulations on all the things that you've done today, and we know that you're not going to stop, that this will be a continuation,' State Superintendent of Instruction Tony Thurmond said at the press conference. 'The state of California and our office will continue to support you in your work.' The district's Region South had the lowest rate of attendance, which Carvalho suspected was due to the area being home to more Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity and parents' fears. He did not disclose the number. Related In response to current immigration activity, he said the district would ramp up its iAttend program — where school and district staff knock on the doors of families and encourage students to return to the classroom — from a quarterly to a monthly activity. He also said that following a 300-student increase, or 7% uptick, in virtual academy enrollment last week, about 200 families changed their minds and reenrolled their children in one of LAUSD's regular, in-person campuses 'as a result of increased trust and confidence specific to the protection protocols.' '[Today] was a great day of joy, of happiness, of community that was celebrated by students, parents and staff alike,' Carvalho said. 'The fear is real, that the anxiety is undeniable, that the concern in the minds and hearts of parents is strong. But many parents told us that the steps we took [involving several tiers of protection and safety zones surrounding schools] … created an environment where parents believed that the best place for their children would be the schoolhouse.' ICE activity took place on Tuesday, near several schools, but no closer than two blocks away. The schools were: Danny J. Bakewell Sr., Primary Center and Bret Harte Preparatory Middle School in Region South Mendez High School, Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts and Castelar Elementary School in Region East Victory Boulevard Elementary and STEAM Magnet in Region North Everyone involved was quick to communicate and respond, and 'no impact was seen or felt by these schools as a result of these federal actions in the neighborhood,' Carvalho said. The superintendent also said the district is working actively with two impacted families. One is the family of an 18-year-old Reseda High School student who was detained while walking his dog and is currently in a detention center in Los Angeles. Carvalho said the boy's mother told him, 'My son is in a small space with 40 men, most of them, if not all of them, much older than he is. He is 18 years old, but he's a kid. He has not been exposed to anything in his life. He drinks water once a day. The food is insufficient.' The second involved a student who was taken to a detention center in Texas but has since been released. 'Armed men in hoods with masks jumping out of vehicles with militarized vests with long guns in hand. … It's shocking for most adults,' Carvalho said. 'Think for a second about the impact that this has on impressionable young children. … I'm a father. I would not want my child to witness that.' He and school board member Tanya Ortiz Franklin urged families to contact their school's principal if they need help with transportation. Carvalho said they have so far met the needs of more than 300 families who have requested special accommodation, including modifications of bus routes and potential door-to-door services. 'In some ZIP codes in our country, the children will never witness [detentions]. Never,' Carvalho said. 'And then there are kids in [other regions who] walk to school. Blocks. … Can we spare, beyond politics, policy and legalities, can we spare our children from that trauma?' Patin, the Arleta High School teacher, said attendance remained strong on her campus and in her classrooms. 'Our campus is very secure. Our office is locked. … There's no strangers or people just dropping in or having access to our campus,' she said. 'That's really never been that way. But we're especially vigilant now.' And while the overall energy was positive, she said the immigration raids have impacted students. Many, she said, had watched violent interactions on social media and feared for themselves or family members. 'When class started, they wanted to talk about all of the people that were out in front of school and the reporters. They had questions,' she said. 'They also wanted to share their own perspective on the experience and what they were feeling. So, we all allowed for that.' More LAUSD students stayed home this summer than usual, Patin said. And many were happy to meet up with their peers after months of being apart. Twelfth grader Andry Estrada was among them, happy to leave home at 6:30 a.m. and greet his classmates as a member of the marching band and as the secretary of the school's Associated Student Body. He said he was excited to be reunited with his classmates, some of whom had stayed home toward the end of the 2024-25 academic year for fear of immigration enforcement. 'I was definitely excited to see my teachers again and build new relationships and friendships that I haven't been able to reach in the summertime,' Estrada said. 'It's overall been a great day.' This story was originally published by EdSource. Sign up for their daily newsletter.' Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
3 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Wife bit estranged husband in back in self-defence amid row over £30
A wife who bit her estranged husband in the back during a scuffle has been cleared of assault after magistrates ruled her actions to be self-defence. Mother-of-one Hannah Kimani, 24, bit Anthony Gechengo on his left shoulder with sufficient force to leave teeth marks and a ''significant'' flesh wound, Warrington Magistrates Court heard on Monday (August 18). The couple had been arguing at Gechengo's residence in Crewe after he discovered Kimani had borrowed £30 from a male friend, Cavendish Press reported. READ MORE: UK households warned of rules if neighbour's tree is blocking sunlight in your home or garden READ MORE: Huge blaze engulfs historic Grade I listed building causing roof to collapse In an ensuing row it was claimed he pinned his wife to the bed and called her a ''prostitute'' before punching her in the chest and stomach. In response she punched him in the face before biting him on the back when he tried to stop her from leaving. Kimani, a support worker, fled the scene but was arrested later. She appeared at Warrington Magistrates Court on a single charge of causing actual bodily harm, but was found not guilty by justices of the peace, who accepted she acted in lawful self-defence. Ms Kimani, of Luke Place, Bedford, said 'amen' and broke down in tears as the the verdict was pronounced. The incident occurred on February 20 this year when Kimani travelled 140 miles from her home in Bedford went to visit her husband at his rented room to discuss various ''issues'' between them. Gechengo told the court: ''Initially it was peaceful and I would call it agreeable discussions, but the two of us came to a point where we were arguing and that is when it became physical, pull and push. "I left the room for about five minutes, to have a cool down but when I went back and got a chair to sit on by the door everything went haywire. 'She attacked my face and there were a few slaps here and there. I covered my face with my hands and I put my head down between my knees but it left my back exposed and that is when I got a bite. Initially after the assault I was quite disorientated.'' As Kimani left the scene to get a cab, Gechengo made to a 999 call to police during which he said, 'My wife has bitten me and pushed me around the floor.' Kimani was arrested when she returned to the property an hour later to find a police officer there. Giving evidence, Kimani said: 'My mum called me to say my three-year-old daughter was feeling unwell and she needed money to take her to hospital. "I was sure my husband would not give the cash to me because of his mood so at that point so I called a male friend who lent me £30. 'But he started calling me a prostitute and I phoned a taxi. When the taxi was outside I told him I was leaving and I took my bag and jacket but at that point he pinned me on the bed and punched me in the chest. 'I punched him to get him away but he was punching me on the breast and stomach several times. I got up and went to the door but he pushed me and was trying to lock the door so I bit him on the back. "He just felt pain and at that point I was able to escape. I was feeling scared. It was not the first time he has hit me. He has done it more than twice.' Prosecutor Elizabeth Browne told the hearing: ''The violence was not necessary and certainly not proportionate. Even on the defendant's account she says that Anthony had his back towards her. ''In order to inflict that injury she is taking it on herself to move closer to him and so be able to bite him. There is a significant bite mark, with such force that you are able to see bruising and the specific teeth indents.'' But Kimani's lawyer Hannah Kelly said: '' She had to punch him to the face to get him off her. He tried to lock her in the bedroom and was scared. She said she did not know what would happen if she did not get out.'' JP Stewart Bluntstone said: 'We accept the evidence of Miss Kimani which was clear, detailed and consistent. We do not attach weight to the evidence of Mr Gechengo because it was vague, inconsistent and lacked detail. ''Miss Kimani did bite and punch Mr Gechengo but we believe that this was self-defence, proportionate to the level of fear that was felt at the time.''
CBS News
36 minutes ago
- CBS News
Kylee Monteiro's boyfriend faces murder charge in death of missing pregnant teen in Rehoboth, Massachusetts
Gregory Groom will be charged with murder Wednesday in the death of his pregnant 18-year-old girlfriend Kylee Monteiro in Rehoboth, Massachusetts. Groom, 22, was arrested Tuesday after a body believed to be that of Monteiro was found during a search of his home and property. He will be arraigned in Taunton District Court. You can watch it live on CBS News Boston as soon as it happens Wednesday morning in the video above. Groom reported Monteiro missing back on Thursday, August 7. She was last seen alive at his home on County Street that day, according to Bristol County District Attorney Tom Quinn. Her sister said Groom and Monteiro had an "altercation" the night before she went missing, An extensive search for launched for Monteiro, who was 11 weeks pregnant, Quinn said. She had just graduated from Attleboro High School earlier this summer. After a search that lasted nearly two weeks, Groom was initially arrested Tuesday afternoon. He was charged with aggravated assault and battery on a pregnant person, domestic assault and battery and witness intimidation in connection with the incident with Monteiro on August 6, Quinn said. As investigators expanded their search of his family's property off County Street Tuesday evening, they found "human remains consistent with those of Kylee Monteiro," Quinn told reporters. Investigators are waiting for official confirmation from the state medical examiner. Groom was held overnight without bail. "She wanted to be a mother and she was so happy," friend Kira Schofield said. "Kylee will always be remembered and always be loved."
