Friendswood police issue warning as more teens take part in a dangerous social media challenge
FRIENDSWOOD, Texas - A social media "challenge" isn't only terrifying area victims, many are concerned the kids doing it could be very close to getting hurt, or worse. It's such an issue, police in Friendswood are now sending out a warning.
Several kids in Friendswood have been caught on camera carrying out what's called the TikTok Door Knock or Door Kick Challenge. It has everyone from parents to police fearing this could turn deadly if these kids don't cut it out.
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"I would tell them stop it before they get hurt, or they hurt somebody. Please don't do this. It's wrong. It's very wrong," says 77-year-old Gwen, who's been victimized.
A number of kids have been recorded wreaking havoc at area homes while kicking and banging on doors in the early hours of the morning.
"It was scary. It was frightening. It was terrifying," the 77-year-old adds.
Some say this TikTok Challenge is so dangerous these kids have been fortunate, so far, to have only been caught by cameras and not by homeowners. Because not only are they knocking on the door, but they're banging and kicking a lot of times.
"Yes, yes, and there have been reports where they kick so hard, they actually kick the door in and cause damage to the door," explains Fort Bend County Constable Precinct 3 Chief Deputy Jimmy Evans.
"I didn't know whether a bomb had gone off or what had hit my home," Gwen explains, but it wasn't an explosion that ripped through the 77-year-old's door frame in Seabrook. It was kids carrying out this foolish challenge.
"All of a sudden I heard this boom, boom and the front wall, everything shook, and I looked up, and I saw kids running past my window. These are the pieces that were cracked off the bottom of the door frame, and it's totally ruined. A lady pulled up in her car, and she said did you just get your door kicked in? And she said so did I," Gwen explains.
Her son actually caught the kids.
"He's ex-military and licensed to carry a weapon and gave them a pep talk," says the 77-year-old.
"This is a very dangerous game, very dangerous game," adds Chief Deputy Evans, who isn't the only law enforcement fearing this dangerous take on ding, dong, ditch.
The Friendswood Police Department released two videos of teen boys banging on doors in the wee hours of the morning in Friendswood.
In a different state, one man set a trap using fishing line.
"One of the teenagers knocked on his door, tripped over the wire and fell, and his wife ran out and actually was able to jump on top of the kid, and held him until law enforcement arrived. I'm afraid a homeowner may think someone is trying to burglarize their residence and some innocent kid can get shot or killed," says Chief Deputy Evans.
This "challenge" will now cost 77-year-old Gwen $2,500 to fix her door. Police hope you'll talk with your kids, explain how dangerous this is, and tell them not to do it before it costs someone their life.