TikTok prank turns deadly: US teen shot dead during ‘ding dong ditch', homeowner charged with murder
An 18-year-old boy was allegedly shot dead by a homeowner after he mistook a TikTok-style doorbell prank for burglary in Virginia's Fredericksburg. The incident happened at around 3 AM on Saturday, when the victim and his friends were recording a viral prank called 'ding dong ditch'.
According to the New York Post, the incident occured when Michael Bosworth Jr, 18, and two of his friends, knocked on a door in a residential neighbourhood as part of the prank. Moments later, a hail of gunfire left Bosworth dead and one of his friends wounded, according to the Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Office.
Tyler Chase Butler, 27, the homeowner, told detectives he believed the teenagers were trying to break into his home. However, statements from the surviving teens tell a different story. One of the boys, who was grazed by a bullet, told police that they were simply filming a prank for TikTok and looking for a place to hide when gunshots rang out, according to documents reviewed by local media.
The third teenager, who was not injured, also told investigators the group was playing 'ding dong ditch,' a game where participants knock or ring someone's doorbell before running away.
Bosworth was a student at Massaponax High School, where he played football and lacrosse and was also on the wrestling team. The shooting occurred just hours before his high school prom was set to take place.
Butler was arrested Tuesday and is now facing several charges, including second-degree murder, malicious wounding, and two counts of using a firearm during the commission of a felony. He is currently being held without bond at Rappahannock Regional Jail.
A similar incident took place in 2020, when a 45-year-old Indian-origin man killed three 16-year-old boys and seriously injured three others for a doorbell prank. In 2023, he was convicted on murder charges for deliberately ramming the teenagers' vehicle with his car. He was sentenced to life.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Print
29 minutes ago
- The Print
In meetings with world leaders, all-party delegations convey India's policy of zero-tolerance towards terrorism
'We can talk to them in Hindustani. We can talk to them in Punjabi. We can talk to them in English. There is no problem in finding common ground with Pakistan. The problem is finding a common vision for decency, for peace. We want to be left in peace, to grow and develop. They don't want to leave us alone. They want to harass us,' he said. 'You (Pakistan) crack down on this infrastructure of terrorism that is visible everywhere in your country. Then, of course, we can talk,' Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who is leading an all-party delegation to Brazil, said while talking to PTI Videos. Brasilia/Brussels/Cairo, Jun 3 (PTI) All-party parliamentary delegations on Tuesday effectively communicated India's firm message of zero tolerance towards terrorism to several countries, stressing that New Delhi can talk to Islamabad if it takes significant action against the terror infrastructure that is visible everywhere in the country. 'They want to cut us this whole bleeding to death India by 1,000 cuts. They're not going to bleed to death so easily. Better forget that idea,' he added. Asked whether nations have been recognising India's stance against terrorism, Tharoor said his delegation has been to four nations — Guyana, Panama, Colombia and Brazil- so far and 'this has been very clear in all the countries we've been to'. 'I would say in all four countries, we've had a very, clear success, if that's the word, I don't like to boast of success. That's for others to judge. But we have got our message through very clearly, including to those who may have had some misunderstandings,' he said, referring to Colombia. Earlier, Tharoor said Colombia withdrew a statement offering condolences to Pakistan for the loss of lives following Indian strikes in response to the Pahalgam attack after his delegation explained Islamabad's relentless support to cross-border terrorism. The delegation held a highly productive meeting with Senator Nelsinho Trad, President of the India-Brazil Friendship Front and President of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee. It also called on Amb Celso Amorim, Head Adviser of the Special Advisory to the President of Brazil, and discussed India's position of zero tolerance to terrorism. In London, the delegation led by BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad concluded its high-level engagements, meeting with UK government ministers, parliamentarians, party leaders, think tanks, and India friendship groups. The delegation received wide-ranging support, reaffirming shared commitments to global security, justice, and strategic partnership, the High Commission of India in London said in a release. The delegation met Lord Dominic Johnson of Lainston CBE, Co-Chair of the Conservative Party, and Koolesh Shah, Co-Chair of the Conservative Friends of India. 'They voiced strong support for India's fight against terrorism, acknowledged its global implications, and lauded the Indian diaspora's contribution to the UK,' it said. The delegation also met Labour Party India Friendship Groups-including Labour Friends of India, Labour Convention of Indian Organisations, Sikhs for Labour, and Hindus for Labour. The groups expressed unified support for India's anti-terrorism efforts, emphasising the need to dismantle terror infrastructure and curb terror financing. From London, the delegation will travel to Brussels where it will have interactions at the European Union level and with Belgian authorities. In Cairo, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty Tuesday reiterated his country's solidarity with India in its fight against terrorism and welcomed deeper bilateral cooperation on counter-terrorism during a meeting with the all-party Indian delegation led by NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule. The delegation, which is here on the last leg of its four-nation trip, also met Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit and discussed India's wide-ranging political, economic and cultural engagement with the 22-member bloc. 'Countering terrorism is a priority to both @arableague_gs and India. The delegation underscored India's unified stance and collective determination to combat terrorism,' the Embassy of India in Egypt said in a post on X. Another all-party delegation, led by DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, concluded its three-day visit to Spain, where it held a series of meetings with officials and civil society representatives to highlight India's 'zero-tolerance' stance against terrorism. 'The delegation concluded its visit having effectively communicated India's strategic approach and firm message of zero tolerance towards terrorism to Spanish government leaders, lawmakers, civil society and the Indian diaspora, strengthening bilateral ties and mutual understanding,' the Embassy of India in Madrid said Tuesday. In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Tuesday reaffirmed its commitment to peace as it thanked an all-party Indian delegation, led by JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha, for the briefing on New Delhi's approach to combating terrorism. The delegation met Malaysian leaders and briefed them on India's unwavering policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism, and sought their cooperation in the collective fight against terrorism, the High Commission of India here said in a post on X. The all-party delegation, led by Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Eknath Shinde, concluded a successful three-day visit to Liberia, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to work together in fostering a peaceful, secure, and terror-free world. The all-party group was in Monrovia in the final leg of its four-nation visit to the United Arab Emirates, DR Congo, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. 'The visit not only reflected the enduring friendship between India and Liberia, but also highlighted the two nations' shared, unwavering stance against terrorism. It concluded with both sides reaffirming their commitment to work together in fostering a peaceful, secure, and terror-free world,' the Indian Embassy here said in a release. Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after the Pahalgam terror attack, with India carrying out precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in the early hours of May 7. Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9, and 10. The Indian side responded strongly to the Pakistani actions. The on-ground hostilities ended with an understanding of stopping the military actions following talks between the directors general of military operations of both sides on May 10. PTI GRS/SCY/NSA ZH This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
News18
29 minutes ago
- News18
Who Was Sana Yousaf, 17-Year-Old Pakistani Influencer Shot Dead At Her Islamabad Home?
Last Updated: Sana Yousaf was allegedly killed at point-blank range by a relative who had visited her home in Islamabad's Sector G-13. Sana Yousaf, a 17-year-old Pakistani social media influencer and advocate for women's education and cultural heritage, was shot dead inside her home in Islamabad in what police are probing as a possible case of honour killing. Known widely for her vibrant TikTok and Instagram presence- where she had nearly 500,000 followers- Sana Yousaf hailed from Upper Chitral in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and had gained popularity for her videos promoting Chitrali traditions and women's empowerment. Media reports claimed that Sana Yousaf was allegedly killed at point-blank range by a relative who had visited her home in Islamabad's Sector G-13. The suspect spoke briefly with her outside the house before entering, firing multiple shots and fleeing the scene, reports claimed. Her body was sent to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for autopsy. No arrests have been made so far but authorities have launched a manhunt and are considering multiple motives. Who Is Sana Yousaf? Sana Yousaf gained popularity through her TikTok videos, where she was widely appreciated for highlighting Chitrali culture, advocating for women's rights and promoting the importance of education. As the daughter of a social activist, she often used her growing social media presence to speak out on issues impacting her community, particularly those concerning young women. Location : Pakistan First Published:
India.com
35 minutes ago
- India.com
Thunder-Blunder: BJP Hits Back At Rahul Gandhi Over Narendra-Surrender Remark
Congress Leader and the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Tuesday made a sharp remark against the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government and alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi 'surrendered after the United States President Donald Trump's call'. The BJP has come out in sharp criticism against the remark of the Congress leader. Addressing a convention of Congress workers in Bhopal, Gandhi added that if slight pressure is exerted on RSS-BJP, "they run away out of fear". "Now, I understand RSS-BJP well. If slight pressure is put on them, they run away out of fear. When Trump called Modi ji-'Modi ji kya kar rahe ho, Narendra-Surrender and with 'ji hazooor', Narendra ji followed Trump," the Congress Leader said. He also brought up the 1971 war under the then-PM Indira Gandhi and said, "In the 1971 war, the Seventh Fleet (came from the US), India Gandhi said I will do whatever I have to do. This is the difference. This is their character; all of them are like this. Since the Independence movement, they have this habit of writing letters of surrender." ट्रंप का एक फोन आया और नरेंद्र जी तुरंत surrender हो गए - इतिहास गवाह है, यही BJP-RSS का character है, ये हमेशा झुकते हैं। भारत ने 1971 में अमेरिका की धमकी के बावजूद पाकिस्तान को तोड़ा था। कांग्रेस के बब्बर शेर और शेरनियां Superpowers से लड़ते हैं, कभी झुकते नहीं। — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 3, 2025 BJP's Backlash BJP Spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia in a post on X shared the picture of PM Modi and wrote, "Narendra Modi ji = Thunder; Rahul Gandhi = Blunder" Narendra Modi ji = Thunder Rahul Gandhi = Blunder — Gaurav Bhatia गौरव भाटिया (@gauravbhatiabjp) June 3, 2025 On the other hand, speaking to ANI, BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said, "Rahul Gandhi's words reflect his values as he makes such indecent remarks against the country's Prime Minister. But this is what can be expected from Rahul Gandhi, whose heart beats for Pakistan. Because when he offers a floral tribute to the statue of his grandmother, Indira Gandhi, he does not remove his shoes." "Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has given a befitting reply to Pakistan's terror masters. From Salman Khurshid to Shashi Tharoor, every Congress leader is talking about this, and Pakistan itself is giving evidence of this... The people of the country see this uncivilised Rahul Gandhi as an agent of Pakistan..." he added. Trump's Claim For Mediations The tensions between India and Pakistan were escalating for days after the Islamic State had launched a swarm of drone and missile attacks on the Indian territory, following the launch of Operation Sindoor. The Indian Armed Forces had launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 to avenge the terror attack in Pahalgam in which 26 individuals were killed. After Islamabad's aggression that followed the beginning of Operation Sindoor, New Delhi launched strikes on Pakistan's airbases. On May 10, it was announced that a ceasefire had been reached after Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) contacted his Indian counterpart. After this, the US President, on more than one occasion, has claimed credit for helping to stop the hostilities between the two neighbouring countries.
