TikTok trends are usually something stupid that some people look at, then move on. Sometimes, they can get a little spicier, but most of the time, they're not that big of a thing.
This time, it is, and people are likely to be killed if it continues long enough.
The trend is called the Door Kick Challenge, and police are warning people that this isn't something funny. It's likely to have bad results:
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post that five juvenile suspects were walking around a neighborhood in Riverview, Florida, when two of them approached a house. Officials said one of the individuals, who was wearing a ski mask, kicked the front door and fired an airsoft gun.
The minors then fled the area.
Deputies said the "door kick challenge" could turn into a dangerous situation and encouraged parents to talk to their children.
"The door kick challenge is a prank circulating on social media. #teamHCSO is asking parents to speak to their children about this dangerous trend, which could end in tragedy," the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said.
It's not hard to see how it could end so badly. You've got kids wearing masks, kicking someone's front door, and wielding something that looks like a firearm. Everything about that screams an act of violence. With so many homes having cameras now, it's safe to say that people can see what's outside of their homes more often than ever before.
If I see someone dressed like that, holding what looks to all the world like a real gun, and kicking my door as if to gain entrance, I'm probably going to fear for my life, and act accordingly.
In fact, someone already has and met that tragic end I mentioned a second ago.
Back in May, a teen was shot doing this exact challenge:
A northern Virginia man is now facing multiple charges after investigators say he shot and killed a high school student who he believed was trying to break into his house. A friend of the teen claims it was all part of a TikTok challenge that turned tragic.
Tyler Butler, 27, is charged with second-degree murder, malicious wounding and using a firearm in the commission of a felony. He's accused of shooting at three teenagers who were behind the home he shares with his parents and brother on McKenzie Lane in Fredericksburg.
Most of the relevant court documents in this case are sealed, so it’s not exactly clear what led to these charges being filed at this time.
One big difference seems to be the lack of masks and a gun-shaped object, and the truth is that until someone enters your home, the rules for use of force are a little different in most cases.
However, that doesn't make a whole lot of difference to the dead teenager who thought he was just pulling a prank.
See, the problem is that while the use of force rules might make it problematic for someone to shoot through the door, contrary to what Joe Biden might have said, it doesn't mean that people don't or won't do it.
For kids to try this isn't likely all that new. The Virginia kid's friends claimed they were just playing "ding dong ditch," which is a game as old as doorbells, probably. However, kicking doors is an escalation that takes this from annoying to potentially terrifying, and if this keeps up, more people are going to die, and not all of those who shoot the kids are going to be prosecuted because the dipsticks in Florida upped the ante, and others may as well.
So make sure your kids aren't idiots, OK?
