Man Charged After Ding Dong Ditch Shooting: What He Was Charged With

A Texas resident reportedly shot an 11-year-old as he performed a “ding dong ditch” prank at his house over the weekend. He later died in the hospital. Authorities did not file complaints immediately after the incident, but have now revealed the charges.

What happened: An 11-year-old and his friends were allegedly knocking on doors in the 9700 block of Mimbrough on Racine Street on Saturday night, playing “ding dong ditch.” It’s a prank where you knock on a front door and run away before the homeowner answers.

• KHOU 11 reveals the 11-year-old’s identity as Julian Guzman. He reportedly knocked on 42-year-old Gonzalo Leon Jr’s door at around 11 PM. At the time, police said the homeowner chased the kids away from the house before shooting at them, striking Guzman.
• The outlet reveals that a witness said in court that the suspect fired a warning shot into the ground before shooting at the child. Investigators also believe Guzman and his friends had knocked on the door two times before. It was the third that led to the shooting.

The Suspect Faces A Murder Charge

Not self-defense: Before authorities revealed the charges, Houston Police Department Sergeant Michael Cass said he did not believe the suspect acted in self-defense. “It wasn’t close to the house. So, it’ll more than likely be a murder charge,” he said.

• KHOU 11 confirms that authorities have charged Gonzalo Leon Jr with murder. HPD’s Special Weapons and Tactics Detail and Criminal Apprehension Team took him into custody on Tuesday and booked him into Harris County Jail.
• Police noted that investigators asked Leon to exit his house for 20 minutes before he finally complied. Detectives seized roughly 20 weapons from his property, including shotguns, handguns, and rifles.
• The outlet also interviewed several witnesses. One claimed they tried to warn the kids earlier that night. “I warned them that they shouldn’t be doing what they were doing, that it was dangerous, and they had two minutes to go and leave the property, or I would contact the police,” they said.

Sgt Cass urged parents to be more cautious in the times we’re living in now. Mourners have set up a memorial near where the shooting occurred.