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Boy fatally shot after 'ding dong ditch' doorbell-ringing prank, police say

HenryChinaski

HenryChinaski

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Boy fatally shot after 'ding dong ditch' doorbell-ringing prank

Police in Texas say an 11-year-old boy was fatally shot after a prank in which he rang the doorbell of a home and ran away
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HOUSTON —
An 11-year-old has died after he was shot while playing a doorbell ditch prank in Houston, police said, the latest tragic example of a TikTok trend authorities have been warning parents about in a case that could yield a murder charge.

The boy and his friends were playing a game of “ding dong ditch” at a house down the street from their homes just before 11 p.m. Saturday when a person inside the house came out and shot the boy, Houston police said.
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A witness said the boy was running from the house on Racine Street after ringing the doorbell when he was shot, police said.

The boy was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead on Sunday, according to police.

Authorities used a bullhorn outside the home Saturday night to urge the person inside to come out with their hands up, KTRK reported. Police detained one person for questioning.
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Investigators are reviewing surveillance video and working with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office on possible charges, KHOU reported.

“It’ll more than likely be a murder charge,” Sgt. Michael Cass, a homicide detective with the Houston Police Department, told KHOU, noting the boy’s death does not appear to involve self-defense because the shooting “wasn’t close to the house.”
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Tragic however not surprising in America.
Because It's Texas, the shooter will probably be acquitted and branded a hero.
 
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Ikari said:
Not sure you're allowed to shoot at someone who is fleeing, even in Texas. Particularly if there hasn't been any form of crime committed or even intended.
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Trespassing
 
Loulit01 said:
I can think of no possible circumstances that would cause me to shoot a little boy in the back. I guess I'm just not man enough.
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Think of all the future door bells that kids won't ring, if you did. Lessons to be learned.
 
He was running away, not close to the house, and shot in the back.

That's murder.

An 11 year old running away from you with his back to you is not a threat. You are not in physical danger.
 
Loulit01 said:
I can think of no possible circumstances that would cause me to shoot a little boy in the back. I guess I'm just not man enough.
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The "little boy" was outside at night banging or kicking on people's doors. Do you think his friends will follow suit? If we can go to prison for hitting a child, why not for letting the child run free to bother innocent folks doing nothing but being in their homes? What was his curfew time 3AM? 4 AM? NONE? Put his parents in prison.
 
Upsetting.
 
rhinefire said:
The "little boy" was outside at night banging or kicking on people's doors. Do you think his friends will follow suit? If we can go to prison for hitting a child, why not for letting the child run free to bother innocent folks doing nothing but being in their homes? What was his curfew time 3AM? 4 AM? NONE? Put his parents in prison.
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Are you okay? Children do this. It's completely normal. Kids being kids. My god some of you never grew up in a real community/neighborhood and it shows.
 
Serenity said:
He was running away, not close to the house, and shot in the back.

That's murder.

An 11 year old running away from you with his back to you is not a threat. You are not in physical danger.
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A note to all "CHILDREN" pay attention.
 
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What does Texas law say about shooting trespassers?

While it's legal for Texans to protect their homes, you can't shoot just anyone trespassing on your property. Here's what the law says.
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Q (Dishon): What are the laws when it comes to shooting somebody who may be trespassing? What can people do legally to protect themselves?
A (Mitchell): When we're talking about self-defense, defense of others and defense of property in the state of Texas, we are referring to something called the Castle Doctrine. A way to think about that is our home is our castle, and we have a right to protect it. There is no duty to retreat in the state of Texas, meaning I'm not legally obligated to run and try to flee a situation if someone is using force to enter my home.
Q: What are some of the misconceptions surrounding this law?
A: It is not a green light to just go ahead and shoot anyone that is trespassing in your property or on your property. The law is always going to look at your actions and whether or not they were reasonable. Did the person reasonably believe that their life was in imminent danger, immediate danger? Whether or not someone was entering your home, your habitation, your workplace, your vehicle, with force. Were they breaking a window, were they picking a lock, were they forcibly trying to enter your property? All of those things are going to justify matching that force with the use of deadly force. Now, big difference: if someone is simply criminally trespassing. Walking across your lawn, jumping your fence in the middle of the day. Did you feel in that situation that you're in immediate, imminent danger? More than likely not. Now you can threaten someone with deadly force saying, 'Get off my property or I'm going to shoot you.' However, there are so many caveats when it comes to this. When we're talking about something, such as criminal trespass; someone walking across your yard, hopping your fence; you may use force to remove them, physically remove them from your property. However, there are very few situations that are going to arise where the use of deadly force would be justifiable in that situation.
 
Loulit01 said:
I can think of no possible circumstances that would cause me to shoot a little boy in the back. I guess I'm just not man enough.
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It was dark and how tall was the boy? Again, here I see sympathy for the punk banging on doors at night but not a word about the parents. Zero sympathy.
 
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