The incident occurred in Virginia on Saturday, May 3
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- Michael Bosworth, Jr., 18, was shot and killed by a homeowner in what police initially reported was a possible “residential burglary in progress” in Spotsylvania County, Va., on Saturday, May 3
- Suspect Tyler Butler, 27, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder after he allegedly “fired shots” at Bosworth and two other teenagers, fatally wounding Bosworth
- The two teenagers who survived said that they were filming a TikTok prank that went awry
A high school senior has been killed in a TikTok prank gone wrong in Virginia.
Michael Bosworth, Jr., 18, was shot and killed by a homeowner in what the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office initially reported was a possible “residential burglary in progress” that occurred at approximately 3:00 a.m. in Spotsylvania County on Saturday, May 3.
In a news release, the sheriff’s office said that Bosworth was taken to the hospital where he died.
The sheriff’s office identified the suspect as Tyler Butler, 27, in an updated release. He allegedly “fired shots” at Bosworth and two other teenagers during what he claimed was a break-in at the property. One of the teenagers sustained “minor injuries” in the shooting.
“The SCSO received a call for a residential burglary in progress, where a resident had fired shots,” the release read. “Deputies responded to the area of Mckenzie Lane and discovered that two individuals had sustained gunshot wounds and a third individual was unharmed.”
The surviving teens claimed that they were recording a take on the popular “ding-dong ditch” TikTok prank and said they weren’t breaking into the house, NBC News4 Washington reported.
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The prank involves knocking on someone’s door and then running away before they can answer. One of the teenagers had a video of them pulling off the prank earlier that night, which was shared with investigators.
Bosworth was a Massaponax High School senior who played lacrosse and football and wrestled. He was due to attend his prom on the same day of his shooting.
The outlet described Bosworth’s stepfather as “heartbroken” after the tragedy.
While no charges were initially filed due to an ongoing investigation, Butler was arrested and charged with second-degree murder, malicious wounding and two counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, the sheriff’s office reported.
