FRANKLIN, Ind. — Johnson County Prosecutor Lance Hamner is worried a viral TikTok challenge could have tragic consequences if a homeowner believes their life is threatened.
The challenge is called the "Door Kick Challenge." It's a prank that encourages people to pound on a door and kick it so it sounds like a home invasion.
“This new twist to the old ‘ding-dong-ditch’ prank is dangerous. In the old days, a kid might ring the doorbell or knock and then run away. This new ‘challenge’ – and it seems viral challenges these days are frequently something foolish and dangerous – involves not just a doorbell ring, but pounding on the door and kicking it. It’s very alarming to residents,” Hamner said.
Last week, Johnson County had its first run-in with this challenge with a group of juveniles in the Kensington Grove neighborhood.
Nobody was hurt, but neighbors as far as six houses down heard the juveniles banging and kicking on their neighbor's front door in the middle of the night, according to the Johnson County Prosecutor's Office.
"I heard from the neighbor it was a glass door. The person inside thought someone was trying to break through the glass, so I bet it was very scary," said one neighbor named Courtney.
"Somebody could get shot, or somebody could be medically fragile on the other side of the door and cause them to have a heart attack or stroke and end up dying or put in the hospital," Hamner said.
Johnson County sheriff's deputies were called by the homeowner, and they eventually found the juveniles who had fled the scene and arrested them.
Courtney said this isn't the first time police have gotten called to her community because of so-called pranks. She said more than a year ago, her house nearly caught fire after someone set off an explosion of fireworks in her front yard.
"There are homeowners that are armed. If it's late at night, especially, you don't expect it in broad daylight. I worry that someone might get a little overzealous and panic when it's just a TikTok challenge, and kids don't understand the consequences of that," she said.
Everyone hopes these arrests send a message.
"Charges are going to be filed because this is considered trespassing, and it can be considered an attempted residential entry, which is a felony, and I guarantee you we are going to be filing charges on these kinds of cases," Hamner said.
Johnson County Sheriff Duane Burgess sent a statement to 13News, encouraging parents to speak with their children:
"The incident that occurred last week due to a TikTok challenge in Kensington Grove is very concerning. We have seen many different TikTok challenges turnout horrible. This is one of those challenges that most definitely could cost a young person their life. To go and kick a person’s front door in an attempt to kick it open is not only against the law, it is simply irresponsible. Johnson County Prosecutor Lance Hamner and I have discussed this incident in length. It troubles both of us because we know that the end result in one of these challenges could cost the prankster their life and or one of the victims of this prank their life.
The kids who are out doing the TikTok challenge of kicking a person’s door open have not thought out the consequences of their actions. In Johnson County, law enforcement will respond, and our findings will be sent to the Prosecutors Office. If you are a juvenile, we have a Juvenile Center to take you, if you’re an adult then you will be booked into the Johnson County Jail. Parents, please talk to your children about the stuff they view on TikTok and tell them about the dangers of accepting one of these challenges."
The prosecutor also released a statement on the incident:
“There are three serious problems with this behavior.
First, a prank like this could result death or serious injury to the perpetrators because a reasonable homeowner, awakened in the middle of the night by what sounds like someone trying to break in, might conclude that he’s about to become the victim of a home invasion and arm himself.
Around the country we have seen a number of people being shot because they deliberately or even inadvertently frightened residents by causing tumult at the door.
Second, a medically-fragile person could be in the residence. Hearing the pounding on the door could cause a severe or fatal medical event, like a heart attack.
Third, this knucklehead behavior will likely result in criminal charges against the perpetrators for Trespass and possibly attempted Residential Entry, a Level 6 felony. Even if the perpetrators don’t enter the residence, it could be considered an attempt to do so.
We take this kind of behavior seriously and we will prosecute for it. I have talked with Sheriff Duane Burgess and other law enforcement officers and we agree we must take action to put a stop to this stupid and dangerous behavior in Johnson County before someone gets hurt.”