Latest news with #Spotsylvania
New York Times
09-05-2025
- New York Times
Teenager Fatally Shot During ‘Ding Dong Ditch' TikTok Prank
A Virginia man has been charged with second degree murder after fatally shooting a teenager who was filming a prank for TikTok known as 'ding dong ditch' with two friends around 3 a.m. on Saturday, according to court records and local authorities. The Spotsylvania Sheriff's Office responded to a reportof a resident firing shots during a burglary, and found two teenagers with gunshot wounds, the office said in a statement. One of the teenagers, Michael Bosworth Jr., 18, later died of his wounds. The second person was treated for minor injuries, and a third person in the group was unharmed, the sheriff's office said. The two friends with Mr. Bosworth were both under 18. The teenagers had been in the neighborhood to make a TikTok video, one of them told investigators in an affidavit filed in Spotsylvania Circuit Court. A 'ding dong ditch' prank involves ringing doorbells or knocking on the front doors of houses before running away, and has become popular fodder for social media videos. 'The juvenile advised it's something that people are doing to put on TikTok,' the affidavit said. The group had knocked on a few doors in the area, one of the teenagers told a detective, adding that they were not familiar with the neighborhood. They were running away from a residence when they were shot, according to the affidavit. At least one video showing the teenagers doing the prank was still on one of the friends' phones, the affidavit said. The authorities arrested Tyler Chase Butler, 27, of Spotsylvania County, on Tuesday on charges of second degree murder, malicious wounding and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, the sheriff's office said. He was being held at Rappahannock Regional Jail on no bond, it said. Mr. Bosworth was a senior at Massaponax High School in Fredericksburg, Va. The high school, which was set to hold its graduation for seniors on May 13, sent a message to the school community that counselors would be available to help grieving students. . A spokesman for the Spotsylvania Sheriff's Office, reached by phone, declined to comment further. A lawyer for Mr. Butler did not immediately respond to requests for comment. G. Ryan Mehaffey, the Commonwealth's Attorney for Spotsylvania County, declined to comment but said a preliminary hearing had been scheduled for June 18. This style of prank has led to tragedy in the past. In 2020, a man in California crashed into a car of six teenagers, killing three of them, after they played a similar prank on him. He was sentenced to life in prison in 2023. On Tuesday, a group of students gathered on the football field at Massaponax High School to remember their classmate, according to a video shared by an Instagram account run by students from the school. They shared memories about Mr. Bosworth and wrote messages on balloons before releasing them at sunset.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Yahoo
Virginia homeowner charged with murder after shooting high school teen during attempted break-in, sheriff says
A Virginia man was charged with murder after authorities say he shot a high school teen who he believed was trying to break into his house, though the surviving teens claim they were filming a ding-dong-ditch prank for TikTok. Tyler Chase Butler, 27, was charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Bosworth Jr., the Spotsylvania Sheriff's Office said. Butler also faces charges of malicious wounding and two counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Legal experts told Fox News Digital that the case will rest on whether Butler used the right amount of force and if he reasonably believed his life was in imminent danger. "The individual facts are really going to shed light on are the charges against Mr. Butler valid or unjust," Jessica Ledingham, a federal litigator and criminal defense attorney said, adding that the charges would make sense if the teens were outside his home, where they are less likely to be perceived as a threat. Kentucky Courthouse Where Sheriff Allegedly Killed Judge Plagued By Sex Abuse Allegations: Lawsuit Deputies responded at around 3 a.m. Saturday to a call for a residential burglary in progress, where a resident had fired shots and found Bosworth and another teen with gunshot wounds, the sheriff's office said. A third teen was found unharmed. Read On The Fox News App Bosworth died of his injuries in the hospital while the other injured teen was treated for minor injuries and released. Both surviving teens are juveniles and were not named publicly. The surviving teens told investigators they were recording themselves doing a "ding-dong-ditch" as part of a TikTok challenge, FOX5 DC reported, citing court documents. One of Butler's neighbors shared home surveillance footage with the outlet that shows the three teens going up to Butler's home and not only ringing the doorbell but banging, kicking and slamming on a garage door. Karen Read's Google Timeline Derailed Again As 2Nd Expert Disputes Defense Claims Jamie E. Wright, a Los Angeles trial attorney and founder of the Wright Law Firm, told Fox News Digital that "stand your ground" or "castle doctrine" laws vary in each state, though "most don't give blanket permission to use lethal force simply to protect property." "Based on what's been reported, shooting at teenagers involved in a prank, even one as reckless as a late-night ding-dong-ditch, is unlikely to meet that legal standard," Wright said. "Social media challenges like this can certainly escalate tensions and lead to tragic misunderstandings, but they don't typically create a legal justification for deadly self-defense." Madeline Summerville, a national trial attorney and legal analyst, told Fox News Digital that "castle doctrine" laws allow for the use of deadly force to prevent an aggressor from entering your home – if the homeowner truly believes their life is in danger. "Every case is different, however, and the applicability of the castle doctrine in this case will rest upon whether the Defendant truly believed he was in imminent danger of bodily harm or death," Summerville said. Bosworth was a multi-sport athlete at Massaponax High School. His classmates held a vigil for him on Tuesday night. Butler was being held at Rappahannock Regional Jail on no article source: Virginia homeowner charged with murder after shooting high school teen during attempted break-in, sheriff says
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Yahoo
High school senior shot, killed during possible prank before graduation
A celebration ahead of graduation turned somber after a high school senior was shot and killed. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The deadly shooting happened on May 3 in Virginia during an alleged prank. Michael Bosworth Jr., 18, was shot and killed. His classmates are heartbroken. 'It's been very emotional, honestly, because we graduate next week,' said Khamoni Keys. 'He was a very passionate person about stuff, just that he had to go the way he did.' TRENDING STORIES: New rules say kids can't play in local city street after driver complaints 'Troubling social media trend' has students forcing objects into Chromebooks 'It might explode;' Woman arrested after leaving purse at Ohio restaurant A second teenager was shot and survived, and a third was not, according to CNN Newsource affiliate, WJLA. Bosoworth died from his injuries at the hospital, the Spotsylvania Sheriff's Office said. Deputies arrested 27-year-old Tyler Chase Butler. He is charged with second-degree murder and other crimes. Detectives say an initial 911 call was for an attempted home burglary. It ended with Butler, who lives in the home, firing gunshots. The two teens told police they were playing a prank called 'Ding Dong Ditch,' where they ring doorbells and run away. WJLA reports that, according to court documents, they had done this to a few homes while filming themselves and posting them on TikTok as part of a social media trend. Butler is in jail on no bond. The teens were read their Miranda warnings, but have not yet been charged. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Fox News
09-05-2025
- Fox News
Virginia homeowner charged with murder after shooting high school teen during attempted break-in, sheriff says
A Virginia man was charged with murder after authorities say he shot a high school teen who he believed was trying to break into his house, though the surviving teens claim they were filming a ding-dong-ditch prank for TikTok. Tyler Chase Butler, 27, was charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Bosworth Jr., the Spotsylvania Sheriff's Office said. Butler also faces charges of malicious wounding and two counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Legal experts told Fox News Digital that the case will rest on whether Butler used the right amount of force and if he reasonably believed his life was in imminent danger. "The individual facts are really going to shed light on are the charges against Mr. Butler valid or unjust," Jessica Ledingham, a federal litigator and criminal defense attorney said, adding that the charges would make sense if the teens were outside his home, where they are less likely to be perceived as a threat. Deputies responded at around 3 a.m. Saturday to a call for a residential burglary in progress, where a resident had fired shots and found Bosworth and another teen with gunshot wounds, the sheriff's office said. A third teen was found unharmed. Bosworth died of his injuries in the hospital while the other injured teen was treated for minor injuries and released. Both surviving teens are juveniles and were not named publicly. The surviving teens told investigators they were recording themselves doing a "ding-dong-ditch" as part of a TikTok challenge, FOX5 DC reported, citing court documents. One of Butler's neighbors shared home surveillance footage with the outlet that shows the three teens going up to Butler's home and not only ringing the doorbell but banging, kicking and slamming on a garage door. Jamie E. Wright, a Los Angeles trial attorney and founder of the Wright Law Firm, told Fox News Digital that "stand your ground" or "castle doctrine" laws vary in each state, though "most don't give blanket permission to use lethal force simply to protect property." "Based on what's been reported, shooting at teenagers involved in a prank, even one as reckless as a late-night ding-dong-ditch, is unlikely to meet that legal standard," Wright said. "Social media challenges like this can certainly escalate tensions and lead to tragic misunderstandings, but they don't typically create a legal justification for deadly self-defense." Madeline Summerville, a national trial attorney and legal analyst, told Fox News Digital that "castle doctrine" laws allow for the use of deadly force to prevent an aggressor from entering your home – if the homeowner truly believes their life is in danger. "Every case is different, however, and the applicability of the castle doctrine in this case will rest upon whether the Defendant truly believed he was in imminent danger of bodily harm or death," Summerville said. Bosworth was a multi-sport athlete at Massaponax High School. His classmates held a vigil for him on Tuesday night. Butler was being held at Rappahannock Regional Jail on no bond.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Yahoo
Teen shot, killed by Virginia homeowner was reportedly doing TikTok challenge
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways The Brief An 18-year-old was shot and killed by a homeowner in Spotsylvania County over the weekend. The homeowner believed the teen and two others were attempting to break into his home. One of the boys who was also shot at by the man said they were recording themselves doing a TikTok 'Ding-dong Ditch' challenge. SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY, Va. - A northern Virginia man is now facing multiple charges after investigators say he shot and killed a high school student who he believed was trying to break into his house. A friend of the teen claims it was all part of a TikTok challenge that turned tragic. Tyler Butler, 27, is charged with second-degree murder, malicious wounding and using a firearm in the commission of a felony. He's accused of shooting at three teenagers who were behind the home he shares with his parents and brother on McKenzie Lane in Fredericksburg. Most of the relevant court documents in this case are sealed, so it's not exactly clear what led to these charges being filed at this time. READ MORE: Homeowner arrested for murder in high school student's death during alleged break-in The backstory 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. 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. What they're saying Another one of Butler's longtime neighbors says she's devastated by what's happened. "It's very sad. Very sad. This is truly on everybody's part. Like the poor child, the poor kid that got killed and, of course, what happened to him. I mean such a stupid prank and look at the results. Families ruined. So, very sad. I hope this does not happen again and I hope the kids learn a lesson," Josephine Dellamonica said. 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. "I do feel as if it's brought us, like, more close together, because I would say our counselors have been doing such a fantastic job, you know, reaching out to everybody. Our principal, Dr. Lancaster [has done] a phenomenal job as well. I couldn't be more thankful for the supporting cast at Massaponax, you know," senior Khamoni Keys told FOX 5. READ MORE:18-year-old shot, killed by Spotsylvania County homeowner while reportedly trying to break-in What we know In court documents, Butler reports being single, having gone to college to study computer science and now making his living through sports betting. He's being held without bond in the Rappahannock Regional Jail. His next court date is June 18. Butler's family, the Spotsylvania County Sheriff's and Commonwealth's Attorney's Offices all declined to comment Wednesday. The Source The Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Office, FOX 5 DC's Bob Barnard.
