Texas police arrested a man who shot teenagers inside a car after the latter attempted a "ding dong ditch" prank at the shooter's home.
The incident happened on July 28 on Scottsdale Way, where Frisco police were dispatched to reports of a person who heard gunshots. During an official investigation, law enforcement personnel learned that the shooter, 58-year-old Damon Wolfe, left his home after he heard a loud bang on his door.
Texas Man Arrested for Shooting at Teenagers' Vehicle
The Texas man then fired several shots at a passing car because he thought that the people inside were the ones involved. The Frisco Police Department (FPD) responded to a call later that evening that a vehicle had been shot at.
Police said that the driver of the car and two passengers initially claimed that they were shot at while on a different street. Following several interviews, they then admitted to doing a "ding dong ditch" prank in a random neighborhood, according to People.
The FPD arrested the shooter on Aug. 3 on three counts of aggravated assault, one count for each person who was in the vehicle he shot at. The charges against the suspect carry a potential sentence between two and 20 years in prison as well as a $10,000 fine.
Frisco Police Chief David Shilson said that what started out as a prank turned into something that could have had deadly consequences, particularly for the teenagers. He added that they found the vehicle shortly after the ordeal, noting that the juveniles did not want to report it because they were doing the pranks.
Shilson also advised parents to talk to their children regarding the dangers of participating in these types of pranks or TikTok challenges. He noted that the teenagers involved in the latest case are very fortunate not to have been killed by Wolfe, USA Today reported.
Ding Dong Ditch Prank Goes Bad
The police chief urged homeowners to avoid "running outside and shooting at a vehicle fleeing the scene" and to understand the potential legal and criminal consequences of doing so. Shilson said that the bullets fired could have easily struck neighbors' houses and hurt innocent people.
Some of the neighbors of the arrested Texas man also talked about the incident, including Medina Wong, who said that it was usually quiet at night in their area. She and her family live on the block where the incident occurred.
Shilson said that Wolfe went too far trying to defend his home when he ran out into the street and fired at the teenagers' vehicle. He said that these pranks are not worth that kind of response, as per CBS News.
