An 11-year-old boy in Houston was fatally shot after a doorbell prank turned tragic, prompting the arrest of a 42-year-old man, police said.
According to the Houston Police Department, Gonzalo Leon Jr. was taken into custody by a SWAT team early Tuesday and is currently being held in the Harris County jail on a murder charge.
What happened
The incident occurred late Saturday night when a group of children, including 11-year-old Julian Guzman, were playing “ding dong ditch,” a prank where kids ring a doorbell and flee before the resident answers.
Police said a man stepped out of the house that had been pranked and opened fire at the children as they ran away. Guzman was struck in the back and later died of his injuries on Sunday.
Sgt. Michael Cass of the Houston Police homicide division told local media outlet KHOU that a witness saw the suspect fire toward the fleeing children. “Unfortunately, sadly enough, one of the boys was shot in the back,” he said.
Previous questioning and release
A man was detained at the scene and questioned by detectives on Sunday, but was initially released. Authorities later obtained further evidence leading to Leon’s arrest on Tuesday morning.
Other recent cases
This is not the first case in Texas involving violence after a prank. In July, 58-year-old Damon Wolfe of Frisco was arrested after firing multiple rounds at a passing car, believing teens attempting a “ding dong ditch” prank were trying to break in. He now faces aggravated assault charges.
Similar pranks have turned deadly across the U.S. In 2023, a California man was convicted of murdering three teens by ramming their car after they rang his doorbell. Earlier this year, a Virginia man was charged with second-degree murder for fatally shooting an 18-year-old who rang his doorbell while filming a TikTok prank.
Houston police said the investigation into Guzman’s killing remains ongoing as Leon awaits court proceedings.
