HOUSTON – An 11-year-old in Houston is dead after reportedly being shot by a homeowner while playing a “ding-dong ditch” prank; ringing a doorbell, running away, and then being shot in the back.
Recently, a similar case played out here in North Texas, where a man allegedly shot at teenagers playing the same prank.
Fatal Houston ding-dong ditch 
Houston ding-dong ditch shooting
What we know:
An 11-year-old boy was shot and killed while playing a ding-dong ditch game in a Houston neighborhood over the weekend.
Police say the boy was with two other kids.
A neighbor saw them running away from the home, when someone inside the home came out with a handgun and fired down the street.
The 11-year-old was struck in the back.
The shooter has been detained.
What we don’t know:
No charges have been filed.
‘Likely be a murder charge’
What they’re saying:
Houston police continue to investigate Saturday’s deadly shooting, while neighbors question why there was a shooting.
“I don’t feel like it’s that serious to shoot somebody from knocking on your door,” a neighbor said.
“After you opened the door, what made you shoot? Especially after seeing the kid? I don’t understand that one,” said another neighbor.
Houston ding-dong ditch shooting
One member of Houston law enforcement doesn’t believe this is a case of justified force.
“In my opinion, it doesn’t look like any type of self-defense. It wasn’t close to the house, so it’ll more than likely be a murder charge,” said Houston PD Sgt. Michael Cass.
A North Texas attorney agrees.
“The Houston case, just because there weren’t charges at the time, doesn’t necessarily mean there wouldn’t subsequently be charges,” said Rusell Wilson.
Wilson, a criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor, is not connected to this case. Here’s what he says investigators will debate regarding the shooter’s actions:
“What you’re looking at is it is objectively reasonable to be in fear of death or serious bodily injury. Now, obviously, if you’re at home, there’s a presumption in your favor, but it’s not automatic,” Wilson said.
North Texas ding-dong ditch shooting 
Local perspective:
On July 28, a Frisco man, 58-year-old Damon Wolfe, allegedly shot at teenagers ding-dong ditching his home following a TikTok challenge, according to police. Wolfe is charged with three counts of aggravated assault.
Ding-dong ditching can be classified as a low-level trespassing crime, according to Wilson.
“But just because you have that doesn’t again rise to the level of deadly force. You can certainly tell them to get off your property. You can call the police.”
The Source: Information in this story came from FOX 26 Houston interviews with residents and law enforcement, and previous FOX 4 coverage.
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