High school senior shot and killed in ding-dong ditch TikTok prank, VA cops say
UPDATE: A 27-year-old man, identified as Tyler Chase Butler, was arrested May 6 and charged with second-degree murder, malicious wounding and two counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony in connection with the shooting, the Spotsylvania Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
The original story continues below.
A high school senior was shot and killed during a TikTok prank mistaken for a burglary, Virginia officials said.
Deputies responded to a report of a possible burglary at about 3 a.m. May 3 in Fredericksburg, about a 60-mile drive north from Richmond, the Spotsylvania Sheriff’s Office said in a May 3 news release.
A resident fired shots at the suspected burglars, injuring two of three teens involved, deputies said.
Both injured teens were taken to a hospital, where one of them, identified as Michael Bosworth, Jr., died, according to the sheriff’s office. The second teen was released after being treated for minor injuries. Another teen involved was not injured, deputies said.
According to a search warrant, the teens were making a TikTok video of a “ding-dong ditch” prank when the shooting happened, the Fredericksburg Free Press and WRC-TV reported.
The age-old prank where a person rings a doorbell and runs away has become popular on the social media app, which includes several viral videos showing people participating in the trend.
In a May 3 email to parents at Massaponax High School, where Bosworth attended, Principal William Lancaster shared the news of his death.
The school’s prom was scheduled for that evening, according to the email. Lancaster said it would be held as scheduled with school counselors on site.
“Our thoughts are with the family during this difficult time,” Lancaster said in the email.
The investigation is ongoing and no charges have been filed, deputies said.
This story was originally published May 6, 2025 at 2:08 PM with the headline "High school senior shot and killed in ding-dong ditch TikTok prank, VA cops say."
