Man charged with murder after Houston 'ding dong ditch' shooting

An 11 year old boy and several other kids were ringing doorbells and then running from homes in an East Houston neighborhood Saturday night just before 11 p.m., police say someone came out of one of those houses and chased after them, according to *** witness. They were playing *** game of ding *** ditch, and at which point the person inside that house came out and shot. The 11 year old was taken. To the hospital and pronounced dead Sunday, according to police. Video from the scene shows *** person walking out of *** home with their hands in the air. *** person was detained for questioning and has since been released. Police say. Investigators are reviewing surveillance video and working with the Harris County District Attorney's office on possible charges. Some neighbors in the area are still in shock. You don't go knocking on people. Because people do strange things. Detective Michael Cass with the Houston Police Department says the suspect will likely face *** murder charge since the death does not appear to involve self-defense and the shooting wasn't close to the house, according to KHOU. He's asking parents to keep *** closer eye on their children to prevent this social media trend from turning deadly. This be more cautious. The times we're living in now. In Atlanta, I'm Ivan Rodriguez.

Updated: 9:28 AM CDT Sep 2, 2025

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Man charged with murder after Houston 'ding dong ditch' shooting

Updated: 9:28 AM CDT Sep 2, 2025

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A 42-year-old man has been charged with murder after a "ding dong ditch" shooting left an 11-year-old Houston boy dead Saturday.Leon Gonzalo Jr. was booked into jail Tuesday morning, Harris County court records show. His address matches the address where someone fatally opened fire at the 11-year-old, whom a witness described as running away from the house when he was shot, according to police."Officers were told the male was ringing doorbells of homes in the area and running away," police said. "A witness stated the male was running from a house, after ringing the doorbell, just prior to suffering a gunshot wound." The shooting did not seem to involve self-defense because the shooting "wasn't close to the house," Houston police homicide Sgt. Michael Cass said, according to CNN affiliate KHOU.The boy's name has not been publicly released.Gonzalo Jr. is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday."Ding dong ditching" is an age-old prank that's risen in popularity in recent years as a social media challenge. TikTok videos often feature variations where pranksters pound on or kick people's front doors.In May, an 18-year-old high school senior in Virginia was shot and killed while filming a "ding dong ditch" to post on TikTok, The New York Times reported. The man accused of shooting the teen was charged with second-degree murder.In 2020, three 16-year-olds were killed when a California man rammed his car into their vehicle in retaliation for a "ding dong ditch" prank. The man was convicted of three counts of murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in 2023.In the Houston case, 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.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, police said. CNN’s Karina Tsui, Danya Gainor and David Williams contributed to this report.

A 42-year-old man has been charged with murder after a "ding dong ditch" shooting left an 11-year-old Houston boy dead Saturday.

Leon Gonzalo Jr. was booked into jail Tuesday morning, Harris County court records show. His address matches the address where someone fatally opened fire at the 11-year-old, whom a witness described as running away from the house when he was shot, according to police.

"Officers were told the male was ringing doorbells of homes in the area and running away," police said. "A witness stated the male was running from a house, after ringing the doorbell, just prior to suffering a gunshot wound."

The shooting did not seem to involve self-defense because the shooting "wasn't close to the house," Houston police homicide Sgt. Michael Cass said, according to CNN affiliate KHOU.

The boy's name has not been publicly released.

Gonzalo Jr. is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday.

"Ding dong ditching" is an age-old prank that's risen in popularity in recent years as a social media challenge. TikTok videos often feature variations where pranksters pound on or kick people's front doors.

In May, an 18-year-old high school senior in Virginia was shot and killed while filming a "ding dong ditch" to post on TikTok, reported. The man accused of shooting the teen was charged with second-degree murder.

In 2020, three 16-year-olds were killed when a California man rammed his car into their vehicle . The man was convicted of and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in 2023.

In the Houston case, 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.

A witness said the boy was running from the house on Racine Street after ringing the doorbell when he was shot, .

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

CNN’s Karina Tsui, Danya Gainor and David Williams contributed to this report.

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