Virginia authorities arrested a homeowner for the fatal shooting of a teenager following what is believed to be a TikTok prank.
Friends of the victim told investigators that the homeowner opened fire on them while they were recording a prank overnight for a TikTok video. The suspect was identified as 27-year-old Tyler Chase Butler.
TikTok Prank Leads to Teen's Death
Butler is facing charges of second-degree murder, malicious wounding, and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. The county sheriff's office added that he is accused of killing the teenager, identified as Michael Bosworth Jr., who was a senior at Massaponax High School.
The teen was known to have played lacrosse and football in his school and also spent some time wrestling. The shooting reportedly took place at around 3:00 a.m. on Saturday where two teenagers allegedly tried to break into the suspect's home on McKenzie Lane.
A call to the sheriff's office noted a residential burglary in progress where a resident fired several shots. After the incident, officials transferred Bosworth Jr. to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, according to NBC Washington.
The other teen involved in the incident was reportedly grazed by a bullet that the homeowner shot from his gun. He told detectives that they were not actually trying to break into the home or steal anything.
They noted that they were simply recording ding-dong ditch pranks for TikTok videos, which is where they ring doorbells and then run away before the homeowners can respond. A detective was able to track down a third teen, who was not shot, who gave the same account as the second individual.
Massaponax High School principal William Lancaster shared the news of Bosworth Jr.'s death on May 3, 2025, via email to parents. The school's prom was scheduled for that exact evening and he said that it would continue as scheduled but with school counselors on site, the Miami Herald reported.
Teenager Fatally Shot
The development comes as a different crime involving two teenagers resulted in the arrest of one and the death of the other. Officials revealed that 19-year-old Adrek Miramontes is facing one murder charge and two attempted murder charges.
The individual is said to have fired a gun while inside a vehicle at Summerfield Park on Apr. 30, 2025, and fatally shot 16-year-old Adrian Carter. Another shooting happened a few days later where a 16-year-old was shot on Linden Road at Allan Avenue.
The West Sacramento Police Department believes that this particular incident was done in retaliation for the shooting that killed Carter, as per KCRA.
