15-year-old playing ding-dong-ditch is nearly beaten to death by troopers, family says
.jpg "A teen who played ding-dong-ditch was beaten by Delaware state troopers, his family says.")
A 15-year-old boy needs surgery after Delaware state troopers are accused of nearly beating him to death following a ding-dong-ditch prank, according to his family.
Now an investigation is underway as one trooper is suspended.
It happened while the teen and his three friends were playing ding-dong-ditch — a prank where you ring a doorbell and run away before someone answers the door — the evening of Aug. 21, the boy’s aunt wrote in a Facebook post. The friends “unfortunately” knocked on the door of a Delaware state trooper’s home and ran away, the aunt wrote,, adding that the trooper wasn’t home at the time.
The trooper’s family informed him of the prank that was captured on the home’s Ring doorbell camera footage, according to Tara Murphy’s post written on behalf of her sister, the teen’s mother.
As the 15-year-old and his friends headed home that night in the area of Elsmere and Wilmington, two state troopers stopped them, the post said.
“The two state troopers arrested my (nephew’s) friends, then beat the living hell out of (my) nephew,” Murphy wrote. She shared several photos of her nephew’s injuries, including images showing his face bloodied and swollen.
McClatchy News contacted Murphy for additional comment on Aug. 25.
Delaware State Police said it’s aware of a social media post alleging “a teenager was assaulted and injured while being detained by a trooper during an investigation” in an Aug. 23 statement shared to Twitter.
One trooper accused of assault has been suspended as an investigation involving the Department of Justice Office of Professional Responsibility is underway, according to state police, which didn’t identify the trooper.
Body camera footage prompts investigation
State police launched their investigation after reviewing body camera footage on Aug. 22, according to their statement.
“We are also investigating whether or not there was any failure to intervene by other DSP personnel who were present at the time of the incident,” police said.
“We assure you that a comprehensive investigation is underway and we are examining all available evidence.”
McClatchy News contacted a state police spokesperson for additional information on Aug. 25 and was awaiting a response.
Troopers called ambulance after teen’s beating, aunt says
In Murphy’s Facebook post, she wrote her nephew has a concussion, needs eye surgery and is “covered in bruises, scrapes and scratches.”
After her nephew was beaten, the troopers called an ambulance for him, she said.
“Internal Affairs and Detectives are currently involved, but refuse to share any information with my sister regarding the two state troopers who (ASSAULTED) AND ALMOST KILLED my fifteen year old nephew,” she wrote.
Murphy emphasized the teen and his friends were unarmed and that they have consistent stories about what occurred that evening.
“Never once in the police academy are police officers trained to assault unarmed minors with their bare hands to the point of almost death, while their belt buckles are strapped with a gun, pepper spray, etc.,” Murphy wrote.
State police wrote in their Aug. 23 statement more details will be provided when available.
This story was originally published August 25, 2023 at 12:28 PM with the headline "15-year-old playing ding-dong-ditch is nearly beaten to death by troopers, family says."
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