Arlington County homeowner warns about 'ding-dong ditch' pranks
A group of teens were caught on a doorbell camera going up to a man's Arlington County home, banging on the door and running away.
The man says he's frustrated that they did it, but also says he's concerned something could happen if they keep this up.
ARLINGTON COUNTY, Va. - A northern Virginia man says he's frustrated by a group of teens who did a version of "ding-dong ditch," banging on his door while dressed in ski masks and running away.
He says he's also worried that something could happen to the kids if they keep this up—and bang on the wrong door.
What we know
Arlington County police are investigating.
According to a report, officers responded to the man's home in the 5000 block of 38th Street, North, just before 11 p.m. on Memorial Day.
"The first thing I did was call 911, made sure my baby was OK and then ran downstairs to see what was going on," homeowner Ryan Morgan told FOX 5.
Police say a group of juveniles, wearing hoodies and a ski mask, knocked on the door of a residence before running away. The responding officers checked the area but did not locate the juveniles involved.
The teens were caught on the homeowner's doorbell camera. One was dressed in an orange shirt and the other two were in hooded sweatshirts, banging on the front door repeatedly,
The homeowner says he's sick of teens doing this in his Arlington County neighborhood and he is concerned that something bad could happen to them.
What some would view as kids being kids or pranks is more serious to this homeowner.
"When someone knocks on your door with a ski mask, you're concerned," said Morgan. When I saw that is was teenagers, I was more concerned for their safety because, you know, someone could have a gun, or, threaten them in some way."
Dig deeper
Just weeks ago, a teen was shot and killed in another Virginia neighborhood when he and his friends were reportedly recording themselves doing a TikTok 'Ding-dong Ditch' challenge.
The deadly shooting happened around 3 a.m. on Saturday, May 3.
READ MORE:Teen shot, killed by Virginia homeowner was reportedly doing TikTok challenge
The Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Office says the teens were attempting to burglarize the Butlers' house when 18-year-old Massaponax High School senior Michael Bosworth was shot and killed.
One of the two juveniles with him was shot and wounded. They told investigators they were recording themselves doing a "ding-dong ditch" as part of a TikTok challenge.
READ MORE: Homeowner arrested for murder in high school student's death during alleged break-in
One of Butler's neighbors who spoke with FOX 5 said his home surveillance system captured video of three teens coming up to his house not long before the shooting. The video showed the teens banging, kicking and slamming on the neighbor's garage door — not just ringing the doorbell.
Tyler Butler, 27, was charged with second-degree murder, malicious wounding and using a firearm in the commission of a felony. His next court date is June 18.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
UPI
44 minutes ago
- UPI
Andrew Tate files defamation suits against Meta, TikTok
Social media influencer Andrew Tate (R) and his brother Tristan (L), seen here in March at their residence in Bucharest, Romania. Andrew Tate filed lawsuits against the Meta and TikTok social media platforms for defamation in August. File Photo by Robert Ghement/EPA-EFE Aug. 19 (UPI) -- Influencer Andrew Tate filed federal lawsuits against Meta and TikTok that contend the social media platforms slandered him. The suits, filed last week in Los Angeles County Superior Court, alleged "defamation, civil conspiracy, and tortious interference, accusing both tech giants of publishing false, reckless, and inflammatory statements that portrayed Tate as a sex trafficker, without evidence, without trial, and without due process." Tate said that both companies put out public statements after banning him in 2022 that accused him of criminal behavior and human trafficking, whcih he alleged inteded to denigrate him and purposely sabotage his reputation. "We are not just defending a man's name," Tate's lawyer Joseph D. McBride said in a press release. "We are drawing a line in the sand: powerful institutions do not get to declare guilt by press release and hide behind algorithms when challenged in a court of law." The suits are seeking both punitive damages and compensation, although it is unclear how much money is being demanded. Tate posted to X Sunday that he has allegedly "allocated [$400 million] of personal funds to battle Google, Meta, TikTok," as well as any "Twitter account that defamed me." Twitter is the former name of X, and the lawsuit does not mention it or Google. Tate also said he will challenge the BBC and "Every single girl who lied about me" in the post. Tate and his brother Tristan Tate have been charged by British prosecutors in May with human trafficking, rape and actual bodily harm, plus Andrew Tate has additionally been accused controlling prostitution. They both also face similar charges of human trafficking and sexual misconduct in Romania. The two returned to the United States in February, and Florida's attorney general opened an investigation into them both after they arrived in Miami.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Surf rescue under Pismo Beach Pier captured in viral video
A video posted on Aug. 13 on TikTok documented a Pismo Beach lifeguard rescuing a surfer who appeared to be caught under the pier, gaining the attention of over 100,000 viewers on the platform. On Tuesday, Aug. 12, at around 2 p.m., radio communication between Pismo Beach Lifeguard Towers 2 and 3 alerted those on staff about four people caught under the pier, Pismo Beach Chief Batallion Paul Lee told The Tribune. The identity of the individuals who were rescued was not publicly available. Three of the four people were motioned by lifeguards to move safely to the north side of the pier, while one surfer, whose surfboard leash was wrapped around their leg, remained stuck alongside one of the pier's pilings, Lee said. The pier's pilings hold a collection of built-up sea glass and razor-like barnacles that can easily cut or scrape skin, according to Lee, though the surfer who was eventually rescued by lifeguards came out with only a couple of scratches. No one was hospitalized, Lee said. Pismo Beach lifeguards conduct around 30 to 100 rescues a year, according to Lee. This year, lifeguards at Pismo Beach have conducted about 50 rescues, though the goal is to prevent the potential for a situation to arise, Lee said. Solve the daily Crossword
The Hill
3 hours ago
- The Hill
Andrew Tate sues Meta and TikTok for ‘deplatforming'
Conservative influencer Andrew Tate and his brother, Tristan Tate, are suing Meta and TikTok over what they describe as the 'unlawful and politically motivated decision' to deplatform the pair on their social media sites. The Tate brothers, who were banned from TikTok and Meta's Instagram and Facebook in 2022, filed lawsuits against both companies last week, alleging a 'coordinated campaign to suppress, silence, and destroy the reputations and livelihoods' of the two men. 'This campaign was carried out not merely by private actors, but in concert with government officials, media operatives, and ideological pressure groups—thus transforming Meta into a state actor for purposes of constitutional liability,' the filing reads. A similar statement also appears in the TikTok lawsuit. The brothers argue that the banning of their accounts amounts to a breach of contract and caused substantial financial losses, bringing a dozen claims against both Meta and TikTok. They dispute the companies' rationales for banning them, arguing that claims they promoted dangerous individuals or incited misogyny 'lacked substantiation and were unsupported by adjudicated findings.' Andrew Tate is a self-described misogynist. Meta declined to comment. TikTok did not immediately respond to The Hill's request for comment. The Tate brothers, who are dual American and British citizens, face various charges in both the United Kingdom and Romania. British prosecutors charged both men with rape, human trafficking and actual bodily harm in May. Andrew Tate is also accused of controlling prostitution by the U.K. authorities. They face similar charges of human trafficking and sexual misconduct in Romania. The brothers have denied any wrongdoing. They returned to the U.S. earlier this year, where they received a chilly reception. After they landed in Miami in February, the Florida attorney general launched an investigation into the two men.
