Homeowner charged with murder after HS senior fatally shot amid what surviving teens say was ‘ding-dong ditch’ prank

A Virginia homeowner has been charged with murder after a high school senior was fatally shot amid what surviving teenagers said was a “ding-dong ditch” doorbell prank in the middle of the night over the weekend.

Tyler Chase Butler, 27, of Spotsylvania County was arrested Tuesday for second-degree murder, malicious wounding, and two counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office said, adding that Butler was being held at Rappahannock Regional Jail on no bond.

‘It has been very emotional, honestly. We graduate next week.’

The sheriff’s office said it received a call around 3 a.m. Saturday for a residential burglary in progress, during which a resident had fired shots. Officials said deputies responded to the area of McKenzie Lane and discovered that two people were wounded by gunfire and a third person was unharmed.

One of the wounded — 18-year-old Michael Bosworth Jr. — was taken to a hospital, where he died, officials said. The second wounded individual — a juvenile — was treated and released, officials said. The third involved person — another juvenile — will remain unnamed, the sheriff’s office said.

Turns out, Bosworth Jr. was a senior at Massaponax High School in Fredericksburg, where he played lacrosse, football, and also wrestled, his stepfather told WRC-TV.

Not only was Bosworth shot just hours before his school’s prom, WRC said, but also adding to the tragedy is that one of the juveniles shot at over the weekend told detectives they were playing a “ding-dong ditch” prank during which they ring doorbells and run away, hoping someone answers the door with nobody there, WJLA-TV reported.

WJLA said it obtained search warrants for the cell phones of the two surviving juveniles, and the aforementioned juvenile said the three of them had performed the “ding-dong ditch” prank at a few homes, took at least one video of them carrying it out, and were planning to post their videos on TikTok as part of a social media trend.

The juvenile in question told detectives that they ran away and tried to hide after doing a “ding-dong ditch” at the home where Butler lives — and then the shooting commenced, WJLA reported.

Both surviving juveniles were read Miranda Warnings, WJLA said, but neither of them were charged, and at least one voluntarily handed over a phone to a detective.

Sheriff’s Office Capt. Charles Carey told WJLA the initial 911 call indicated that three people allegedly were trying to break into Butler’s home by kicking in the back door.

Khamoni Keys told WJLA he was on the freshman football team with Bosworth and is a friend of the other juvenile who was wounded: “[Bosworth] wasn’t ever scared to show how he felt about things. He was a very passionate person about stuff. It’s sad he had to go the way he did, but I know his family won’t be by themselves. We will all be there for them as well. I went to the hospital that morning when I heard one of my closer friends got shot.”

Massaponax High School Principal William Lancaster III sent a letter to families after the shooting, WJLA said, adding that it noted Bosworth’s death and said counseling resources would be made available to students.

What’s more, Tuesday night was the annual senior sunset at the high school — and what was normally a fun event to celebrate students’ upcoming graduation was decidedly somber, WJLA said.

“It has been very emotional, honestly. We graduate next week,” Keys told WJLA. “It has been very rough, like I said, but I think we will all get through it if we stay together the way we are. That’s how it is right now at the senior sunset. We’re all together. No one’s alone. We’re just taking time to all mourn together instead of taking it by ourselves.”

You can view a video report here covering the incident and reactions to it.

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