Police have revealed that a high school athlete was allegedly shot dead by a Virginia homeowner after the teenager and two other friends banged on the shooter’s door while playing “ding dong ditch” early Saturday.
On Tuesday, 27-year-old Tyler Chase Butler was charged with the murder of 18-year-old high school senior and athlete Michael Bosworth Jr, as well as injuring one of his friends.
Cops initially reported it as an attempted burglary on a residential block in Fredericksburg around 3 a.m., the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office said, before investigations began.
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Butler alleged to cops that a trio of teens were trying to break into his house, yet the wounded teenager insisted they were only recording a prank that would later be shared on TikTok, police documents indicated.
According to a Fredericksburg Free Lance Star report, one of the boys, who suffered a graze wound, revealed that the group was looking for a place to hide when a series of gunshots went off.
The third teen, who suffered no harm, also told cops they were playing “ding dong ditch” — which involves knocking on a front door or ringing a doorbell and making a run for it, NBC 4 Washington reported.
Michael Bosworth was a Massaponax High School senior and athlete who played lacrosse and football and was also on the wrestling team, said his stepfather to NBC 4 Washington about his life before he was shot dead.
According to reports, the victim was murdered the same day as his high school prom — which was expected to take place that evening.
Now, Butler faces charges of second-degree murder, malicious wounding and two counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, the sheriff’s office said.
He is currently being held behind bars at Rappahannock Regional Jail on no bond.
