Teen Dies in TikTok Prank Gone Horribly Wrong

A popular childhood prank has cost a Virginia teen his life.

Michael Bosworth Jr., a senior at Massaponax High School, tragically lost his life on May 3rd. Reports suggest that he and some friends were apparently participating in a “ding-dong ditch” prank – where someone rings a doorbell and then quickly departs – while recording a TikTok video of the incident, as one of his 18-year-old friends informed detectives.

Tyler Chase Butler, a 27-year-old homeowner from Fredericksburg, was taken into custody on May 6 for a suspected homicide. He is facing charges of second-degree murder and using a firearm during the commission of a felony (for the first time), as stated in Spotsylvania County court records obtained by TopMob News.

According to a Facebook post by the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office, they were alerted early on May 3rd about a home invasion in progress, during which a resident discharged firearms.

Upon their arrival, police found Bosworth and another adolescent suffering from gunshot wounds. Bosworth was taken to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, whereas the other adolescent received treatment for minor wounds and was later discharged. Remarkably, a third juvenile present at the scene escaped unscathed.

A popular childhood prank has cost a Virginia teen his life.

On May 3rd, Michael Bosworth Jr., a senior at Massaponax High School, tragically lost his life while participating in a “ding dong ditch” prank, as reported by NBC4 Washington. One of his friends, who only suffered a grazing wound from the shooting, shared this information with authorities. Additionally, another teenager, who remained unharmed during the incident, confirmed to officials that they had recorded a video of the prank.

According to the Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star, an affidavit for a search warrant submitted in a Spotsylvania court stated that the incident involved a juvenile who was injured and told police that the shooting occurred after a trick called ding-dong ditch, which they had previously played on several houses. The detective added that the boy mentioned he intended to share videos of these pranks on TikTok.

According to the report, the boy additionally informed the police that he wasn’t acquainted with the area, and during the shooting incident, some teenagers were fleeing and attempting to find a safe hiding spot.

On May 3, 2025, around 3:00 a.m., the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office received an emergency call about a home break-in happening right now. A resident reportedly fired shots during this incident. Officials have confirmed this in a statement. Upon arriving at Mckenzie Lane, deputies found that two people were wounded by gunfire and a third person was unhurt.

At a nearby hospital, Bowsworth lost his life due to his wounds, whereas his companion received only minor injuries and was discharged.

27-year-old Fredericksburg resident Tyler Chase Butler was taken into custody on May 6 for a suspected homicide. He is being charged with second-degree murder and using a firearm during the commission of a felony (for the first time), as indicated in Spotsylvania County court records reviewed by TopMob News.

According to NBC Washington’s report, the individual currently detained without bail stated prior to his arrest that some teenagers were attempting to forcefully enter his house.

1) The incident occurred prior to the Massaponax High School prom and close to graduation day. Exactly on May 6th, some of Bosworth’s companions let off helium balloons on the school’s soccer field as a tribute to him, which was recorded in a Facebook video.

Khamoni Keys, recalling his days as a teammate with Bosworth on the freshman football team, reminisced about his dear friend following the tragic shooting by expressing that Bosworth was never hesitant to display his emotions regarding various matters.

He expressed deep enthusiasm for various topics, as he shared with ABC 7. “It’s tragic how things turned out for him, but I am certain his loved ones won’t stand alone. We will all offer our support to them during this difficult time,” he added.

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2025-05-08 00:47