Latest news with #MassaponaxHighSchool
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
TikTok murder suspect appears in Hampton court
HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) — The man at the center of a deadly TikTok prank appeared Wednesday morning in Hampton General District Court on unrelated charges, which were set aside. Tyler Chase Butler, 27, had misdemeanor charges of violating a protective order and disseminating images of a person set aside in Hampton. Butler has been charged in Spotsylvania County with second-degree murder in the May 3 shooting death of Michael Bosworth, Jr. Docs: Teens were shot in Spotsylvania County during 'Ding Dong Ditch' for TikTok Bosworth and two friends were in a neighborhood in Spotsylvania County near Fredericksburg, taking part in the latest TikTok challenge known as the Ding Dong Ditch. It involves ringing someone's doorbell or knocking on their door, running away, and recording it for posting on social media. When they rang the doorbell at Butler's home, police say he came out firing. Bosworth was shot and died at Mary Washington Hospital. He was a senior lacrosse and football player at Massaponax High School and was getting ready to graduate. Butler told investigators he thought the teens were trying to break into his home. Butler remains in jail and is scheduled for a bond hearing next week in Spotsylvania County. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Yahoo
Homeowner in Virginia accused of killing teen filming 'ding dong ditch' TikTok prank
A Virginia teenager was allegedly shot and killed by a homeowner while filming TikTok prank videos with friends, according to authorities and a search warrant obtained by USA TODAY. The Spotsylvania Sheriff's Office said officers received a call about a residential burglary in progress around 3 a.m. on May 3. Tyler Chase Butler, 27, a resident of McKenzie Lane, is accused of shooting and killing 18-year-old Michael Bosworth Jr. during the incident. 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, according to the warrant. Butler was arrested on May 6 and charged with several crimes, including second-degree murder. Bosworth was taken to a local hospital, where he died of his injuries, police said. A second individual, who police said is a juvenile, was also shot and treated for minor injuries. A third person was not injured, police said. According to the search warrant, Bosworth's friends told police they were knocking on doors in the area as part of a "ding dong ditch" prank they planned to upload to TikTok. The long-running game involves knocking on a person's door and running away before they can answer. The teens said they were shot while running to hide after knocking on a door. They also said they weren't familiar with the neighborhood. Butler was charged with second-degree murder, malicious wounding and two counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, police said. He was arraigned on May 7 and is set to have a preliminary hearing on June 18, court records show. Bosworth was a senior at Massaponax High School in Fredericksburg, which held its prom hours after his death. In a message to the district, shared with USA TODAY, Principal William Lancaster said the school is offering counseling staff and other support to students. "Our thoughts are with the family during this difficult time," Lancaster said. Melina Khan is a trending reporter covering national news for USA TODAY. She can be reached at MKhan@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Homeowner in Virginia accused of shooting teen recording TikTok prank
USA Today
08-05-2025
- USA Today
Homeowner in Virginia accused of killing teen filming 'ding dong ditch' TikTok prank
Homeowner in Virginia accused of killing teen filming 'ding dong ditch' TikTok prank The teenager, a senior at Massaponax High School in Fredericksburg, died hours before his high school's prom. Show Caption Hide Caption 3 Osceola High School students injured in shooting Three Osceola County High School students were injured after a shooting in Davenport, according to officials. Counseling will be made available to all students on Monday, according to the school. It is not clear if this incident is connected to an earlier shooting in Davenport on Famagusta Drive. Fox - 35 Orlando A Virginia teenager was allegedly shot and killed by a homeowner while filming TikTok prank videos with friends, according to authorities and a search warrant obtained by USA TODAY. The Spotsylvania Sheriff's Office said officers received a call about a residential burglary in progress around 3 a.m. on May 3. Tyler Chase Butler, 27, a resident of McKenzie Lane, is accused of shooting and killing 18-year-old Michael Bosworth Jr. during the incident. 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, according to the warrant. Butler was arrested on May 6 and charged with several crimes, including second-degree murder. Teens were filming TikTok prank when they were shot at Bosworth was taken to a local hospital, where he died of his injuries, police said. A second individual, who police said is a juvenile, was also shot and treated for minor injuries. A third person was not injured, police said. According to the search warrant, Bosworth's friends told police they were knocking on doors in the area as part of a "ding dong ditch" prank they planned to upload to TikTok. The long-running game involves knocking on a person's door and running away before they can answer. The teens said they were shot while running to hide after knocking on a door. They also said they weren't familiar with the neighborhood. Butler was charged with second-degree murder, malicious wounding and two counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, police said. He was arraigned on May 7 and is set to have a preliminary hearing on June 18, court records show. 'Our thoughts are with the family' Bosworth was a senior at Massaponax High School in Fredericksburg, which held its prom hours after his death. In a message to the district, shared with USA TODAY, Principal William Lancaster said the school is offering counseling staff and other support to students. "Our thoughts are with the family during this difficult time," Lancaster said. Melina Khan is a trending reporter covering national news for USA TODAY. She can be reached at MKhan@
Indian Express
08-05-2025
- Indian Express
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.
International Business Times
08-05-2025
- International Business Times
Virginia Teen Shot Dead in Ding Dong Ditch Prank Gone Wrong After Homeowner Mistook Him for Intruder
A northern Virginia man is now facing multiple charges after he allegedly shot and killed a high school student who mistook him for an intruder trying to break into his house. A friend of the teen claims it was all part of a TikTok challenge that took a turn for the worse. Tyler Butler, 27, is charged with second-degree murder, malicious wounding and using a firearm in the commission of a felony. Butler is accused of shooting at three teenagers who were behind his Fredericksburg home. The deadly shooting happened around 3 a.m. on Saturday, May 3. 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. The prank involves knocking on the door or ringing the doorbell of an unsuspecting resident and fleeing from the spot before they can answer the door. 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. Bosworth's classmates held a vigil in his honor as part of their senior sunset celebration at school Tuesday night. Those who knew him are still trying to make sense of his death. Butler is being held without bond in the Rappahannock Regional Jail. His next court date is scheduled for June 18.
