‘Ding Dong Ditch’ Death

SeaBreeze said:
May the child rest in peace, a nut who is triggered by a door bell should not own any guns at all.

It's a stupid game, and from what I hear, many things on social media sites like tictok are stupid and get people into serious trouble.

Not funny to ring bells and run away, very disrespectful and inconsiderate, but a death sentence should not be the punishment. IMO, bored kids need to stay away from their smartphone screens and actually live their lives among others their age in the real life of humanity. Plenty of games and activities to keep these kids occupied.
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From my childhood memories, pranks like this were par for the course, usually done with other kids. Ergo, no screen, and we would be outdoors, socializing...so not entirely bad. We never did this doorbell thing; the prank I vividly recall is making phone calls asking random strangers dumb questions like Is your refrigerator running? Better go catch it. We thought these were hilarious. I was around 10 yo when we did this stuff. So don't judge the kid, he did not deserve to be shot for ringing a bell.

Also, around 30 years ago I lived downstairs from a wretched woman who constantly complained I SANG too much, she called the landlord about it. My adult son, when visiting, would always ring her bell on the way in.
 
When I was very young, we lived in an apartment setting, and we there were plenty of other children to play with.
We weren't rich by any stretch of imagination and with me being the youngest I always go both hand-me-down
clothing and "looked after" by the 3 older kids (brothers and sister).

Anyway, the knock and run game was something that the older friends would do, and my older brother was always
loath to bring me along but there was no one to watch me while he went out playing the game. (He'd complain that
I was a slow runner, anyway).

So, one summer night after playing many outdoor games, someone suggests that we all go play the Knock and Run
thing. I'm a little game for it because I want to be "in" with the older kids, but I'm a bit leery because all day I've been
having issues with my hand-me-down shorts... the waist of my oldest brother was much larger than my waist, and the
darn things have been falling down around my ankles for the whole day... but I don't say anything, of course.

So, now we're playing and finally I go to run, because man-o, that lady opened the door really quickly, like she was
waiting for us! And the other kids are all running flat-out like Satan himself was after us. But me... well, I'm dealing with
my pants issue. And I run, and they fall down... to the ankles... I pull 'em up and run... and they fall down. I can hear her
getting really close and I start panicking and struggling to run and dealing with pants and she's getting closer.

But then it seems like I'm getting away... she's further and further behind... and I'm still struggling. And I hear laughing. 😅
Well, at least I didn't get shot... in a very unflattering place to get shot.

All in all, the man/shooter in the OP was most likely an a-hole at best... but as was pointed out, I don't think that we got
the whole story.
IDK...
 
Marcy Sheiner said:
From my childhood memories, pranks like this were par for the course, usually done with other kids. Ergo, no screen, and we would be outdoors, socializing...so not entirely bad. We never did this doorbell thing; the prank I vividly recall is making phone calls asking random strangers dumb questions like Is your refrigerator running? Better go catch it. We thought these were hilarious. I was around 10 yo when we did this stuff. So don't judge the kid, he did not deserve to be shot for ringing a bell.

Also, around 30 years ago I lived downstairs from a wretched woman who constantly complained I SANG too much, she called the landlord about it. My adult son, when visiting, would always ring her bell on the way in.
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I never pulled any pranks on people like that when I was a kid, I'm sure there were others who did. Better to learn early that sometimes 'when you play, you pay'. Horribly, this time it was with a bullet. Sympathy and condolences to his family, I know they are shocked and heartbroken.

I completely agree the child should have never been killed, neither should an adult doing such petty things. Nobody deserves to have their lives taken from them.
 
OldOld said:
This is AI's response --
While the Castle Doctrine and Stand Your Ground laws provide significant legal protections, they are not a blank check. The legality of using deadly force in a self-defense scenario is highly dependent on the specific laws of the state or country, and the precise circumstances of the event. Even in states with these laws, a person who uses deadly force may still face criminal investigation and potential charges, and they would have to prove that their actions were justified under the law.
For accurate legal advice on this topic, it is essential to consult with a qualified attorney in your specific jurisdiction.
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I was hoping for a reply by Paco Dennis, to a specific law. I don't want to research what the consequences might be under the Castle Doctrine or Stand your ground where this took place. Or guess how the judge instructs a jury f he does go to trial.
 
I to participated in the kind of prank this kid did. One of the neighborhood kids was much more inventive.

Ring the bell & run for one particularly nasty old man was escalated to fill a paper bag with dog poop light it on fire, ring the door bell & run. The neighborhood had nice hedge rows that could be jumped over then peeked thru to see what happened.
 
I'm not expressing an opinion, but as far back as 2-3 weeks ago, the evening news reported the ding dongers - the first step to ring the doorbell, then kick the door in, was becoming a teenage fad in various communities across the nation. Sooner or later, someone had to get hurt.
 
Having a gun wasn't the issue. The issue is people are sociopathic, apathetic, overstressed, have no values or morals instilled from their parents, can't grasp reality from violence in entertainment, got no common sense, are deviant, and just plain stupid.

Remember, sorry excuses for human beings are stabbing people and running over them with automobiles too.
 
January said:
But those aren't things you can do to a child running away from your door bell like shooting them is.
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And if it was a criminal kicking down your door with a gun to kill your family including your children and you didn't have a gun?

I might respectfully point out that the homicide rate in Australia stayed relatively constant even after strict gun laws were implemented.
 
outlander said:
And if it was a criminal kicking down your door with a gun to kill your family including your children and you didn't have a gun?
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not something that has ever happened to me nor anyone else I have ever heard of.

But my point was really that you cant compare gun shooting to stabbing and automobile running over people - as neither of those things are things one could do i n the scenario of a child ringing your doorbell and running away
 
911 said:
I can only speak for Pennsylvania laws. If a minor rings a resident’s doorbell and runs away, the minor can be charged for trespassing and harassment, unless there is also vandalism or distress to the resident(s). The minor will be turned over to the juvenile court for their discretion of punishment.

Adults will face a harsher punishment, including fines and possible jail time, depending on the extent of the adult’s actions, it could be a warning to fines and if there is vandalism or distress, fines or a jail sentence may be included. Civil penalties could also be pressed by the owner.

If the events happened in the OP’s link “as stated,” it’s very likely that the shooter would be taken into custody and held without bail pending the D.A. filing the charges. The person answering the door was not at risk, so he will be held responsible for the shooting, along with civil liabilities by the family. I would like to believe that the shooter would be looking at a charge of voluntary manslaughter, which is a first degree felony, which is punishable by 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He will also be looking at a civil liability case.

If the shooter is found liable by a jury, they could award the family an undetermined amount of money. He better have a good homeowner’s policy that pays out millions of dollars for being stupid.
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Here in Arizona that would be murder 2 here if the DA has a hair on his posterior.

Maybe bargained down to manslaughter, but in this case probably not. It doesn't get more open and shut than this.
 
outlander said:
And if it was a criminal kicking down your door with a gun to kill your family including your children and you didn't have a gun?

I might respectfully point out that the homicide rate in Australia stayed relatively constant even after strict gun laws were implemented.
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Guns don't cause murder in my experience, they just make it more convenient.

So yes, murder rates are largely independent of gun laws. Years ago we went to no permit concealed carry in Arizona.

The murder rate didn't budge. What DID change was non-violent gun crimes (brandishing, restricted areas, etc). This is because the CCW permit had been conditional on passing an exam that demonstrated you understood state firearm laws. So people committed crimes out of ignorance, like walking into a hospital with a firearm in their jacket pocket.
 
Too much harassment by young people today. I'd fire a gun if this was happening repeatedly. The parents should have taught their son better, and as noted, who lets their eleven year old out after 11:00 pm? The parents should have been shot instead. In other news, there have been incidents of youngsters kicking front doors repeatedly, scaring and stressing families to no end. " News outlets report a dangerous social media trend known as the "Door Kick Challenge" where young people repeatedly kick strangers' doors and then flee the scene, often while recording it for online platforms like TikTok. Police departments across the country have issued warnings to homeowners and parents about the trend, as it is occurring in multiple locations and has the potential for serious injury or tragic consequences, notes NBC "
 
January said:
not something that has ever happened to me nor anyone else I have ever heard of.

But my point was really that you cant compare gun shooting to stabbing and automobile running over people - as neither of those things are things one could do i n the scenario of a child ringing your doorbell and running away
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Well in the good ole USA plenty of instances of armed criminals breaking and entering. It's not so common as to expect it, but much more likely than the tragic circumstance where the child was shot.

Yes, if the guy didn't have a gun the child would still be alive. But as GoodEnuff mentioned, why was an 11 year old running around at 11:30 at night? Seems to me that the parents lack of responsibility played a much bigger role in the child's death.
 
If someone knocked on or kicked my door at 11:30 p.m, you can bet I would be armed when I approached that door. Why? This is a rural area; nobody is out after dark here. Also, the front of my house is surrounded by fence. The front gate is kept padlocked so if anybody came to the door, they either had to climb the fence, cut the lock, or sneak through the pitch black woods behind to come through the back gate.

The one time somebody came after dark was last Christmas. There was a knock on the door. Never has that happened here. I grabbed my pistol, had it in my hand (pointed at the floor) and looked out the side light. It was the neighbors. They had come to bring me homemade baked goods and to wish me a Merry Christmas. I opened the door, trying to control the very excited doggies with one hand with that pistol in the other, which I promptly stashed away. They weren't worried about it since people who live rurally usually have firearms for various reasons. I fixed us all a cup of tea, we sat down and had a very nice visit, right after I apologized for the initial reception from me.
 
outlander said:
Well in the good ole USA plenty of instances of armed criminals breaking and entering
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Indeed so.
But since you asked me the question I answered for me.

GoodEnuff said:
If someone knocked on or kicked my door at 11:30 p.m, you can bet I would be armed when I approached that door. Why? This is a rural area; nobody is out after dark here. Also, the front of my house is surrounded by fence. The front gate is kept padlocked so if anybody came to the door, they either had to climb the fence, cut the lock, or sneak through the pitch black woods behind to come through the back gate.
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I can understand that in your circumstances.

Answering the door armed with your gun is one thing - then using it to murder a fleeing child is another.
 
Fritz said:
Honestly these kids forget that not everyone is mentally stable and can handle being teased by such nonsense. I'm not saying these kids deserved to die but for God sake, why do these kids insist on pestering people? Why can't people live their lives without these kids pranking everyone? It's frickin annoying. They need to find something constructive to do with their time besides harrassing people.

And these people that can't manage their mental stability enough to use the gun properly shouldn't have one in the first place. If you own a gun it's usually for self defense. Not so you can murder whoever annoys you. But the temptation wouldn't even be there in the first place if they didn't own the gun to begin with.

Today's kids are a bunch of little brats and most of the adults are a bunch of nutbags. Ever since Covid people's mental states have taken a nose dive. They're acting like a bunch of maniacs. The kids aren't any better. People need to learn to leave others alone and that it's not acceptable to rage over regular every day things. If a store runs out of the type of bread you like it's not acceptable to pull a gun on or beat the hell out of a clerk.
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All good points, well said. Plus, if someone is in their home and has mobility issues and their doorbell rings, they may struggle to make it to the door for nothing but a prank.

If a new mother has a sickly infant who just fell asleep, and is awakened by the doorbell that was just rung to piss people off, it is a problem.

If someone is awaiting a call from their doctor regarding blood test results for a serious illness, and the bell rings just as a joke, it's very inconsiderate and upsetting.

Kids can play tricks on each other at the playground or in the street. They should not be affecting people's personal lives in their homes. If they find annoying adults and causing them grief to be amusing, they need to seek counseling, or their parents do.
 
Knight said:
I to participated in the kind of prank this kid did. One of the neighborhood kids was much more inventive.

Ring the bell & run for one particularly nasty old man was escalated to fill a paper bag with dog poop light it on fire, ring the door bell & run. The neighborhood had nice hedge rows that could be jumped over then peeked thru to see what happened.
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Looks like the old man had a reason to be nasty. Maybe if his nice hedge caught on fire that would really be funny.
 

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