A Houston resident is facing murder charges after the fatal shooting of an 11-year-old boy who rang his doorbell and ran in a classic “ding dong ditch” prank, Associated Press reports.
Gonzalo Leon Jr., 42, was taken into custody on Sept. 2 and booked into the Harris County Jail after matching the name of the owner of the home where the prank occurred. The incident took place Aug. 30 after the victim, Julian Guzman, and his cousin “became bored” while attending a birthday party.
The duo decided to ring doorbells, playing the “ding dong ditch” game, where kids ring a
doorbell or knock on a door and take off before someone has a chance to open the door. While an initial statement from police claims the person who rang the doorbell was the cousin, the cousin told investigators that he and Guzman knocked on Leon’s door several times before running away.It was at the final knock that Leon appeared with a pistol and fired once at the ground. According to the affidavit, he then raised the firearm and fired at the minor victims. Guzman’s cousin told police that the victim “cried out in pain that he had been shot,” and as he tried to drag the boy away, Leon walked back into his home slowly.
Houston Police Sgt. Michael Cass said, “Our witness says the suspect came out of the door, ran out into the street, and was firing down the road.”
After being shot in the back, the child succumbed to his injuries and died Aug. 31, according to ABC 13 Houston.
Law enforcement found close to 20 firearms, including AR-style rifles, shotguns, and medium caliber pistols, in Leon’s home just about half a block from where Guzman collapsed. The spot has been transformed into a memorial, featuring a cross, prayer candles, flowers, and photos of the boy.
“I miss you, Julian. I still wish you were here, but I will always love you 4ever,” one sign at the memorial said.
Police departments around the country have issued warnings to the public about such pranks not being funny but dangerous, and young Julian’s death proves it. A Facebook post from the Georgetown, Kentucky, Police Department states that homeowners have no way of knowing it’s “just a prank,” as several state laws give homeowners the right to protect their property.
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white man in Florida was investigated for threatening to shoot a nine-year-old Black girl who was selling candy door-to-door, claiming he thought the child was trying to break in. In Southern California, a man was convicted of first-degree murder in 2023 for intentionally killing three teenage boys by ramming into their car following a doorbell prank.Some states, including Texas, have a version of the “castle doctrine,” which states that residents don’t have to retreat when they feel threatened in their homes; however, they can respond with physical force. The law in the Lone Star State gives people a broad range to protect themselves, others, and property, but there must be a reasonable belief that force is necessary in the given situation.
Houston attorney Seth Kretzer said if the shooting took place
as police allege, there is a minimal chance that Leon has a strong case for self-defense under state law. “You just can’t shoot a kid in the street dead because he knocks on your doorbell and declare you felt threatened by him,” Ketzer said.“I mean, it’s a little hard to believe a grown male with a gun felt threatened by an unarmed 11-year-old child running away on the street.”
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