The Brief
The ‘door kick’ challenge is once again circulating in central Florida.
Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) deputies responded to an incident this month in which a teenager caused $500 in damage to a front door.
MCSO is warning homeowners about the dangerous TikTok trend, and asking parents to talk to their children about it.
ORLANDO, Fla. - WHAT WE KNOW
According to law enforcement, the ‘door kick’ challenge became popular among teens on TikTok a few years ago. The online trend is again making the rounds. In the trend, someone runs up to home and kicks the front door. Many of the videos which have gone viral resulted in damage – some leading to arrests.
RECENT EXAMPLES
On July 22, MCSO said a teen was caught on camera going up to a Belleville home and kicking the front door. MCSO said the kick led to $500 worth of damage. The homeowner gave FOX 35’s Hannah Mackenzie permission to air the videos – caught on both his doorbell camera and driveway camera. He also shared a photo of the inside of his door. The frame is split down the middle.
About a week prior, another neighbor said they were targeted by what appeared to be the same teenage boy.
"We heard a big bang on the front door," said Kevin Jasper. "We didn’t know what it was… we were like what the heck is going on, is somebody trying to break in?"
Jasper said it wasn’t until they checked their camera that they saw the culprit.
"He came up, rang the doorbell… turned around, kicked the door and took off," Jasper said. "It’s dangerous for the kids… they go to the wrong door, somebody’s going to come out with a gun."
Earlier this year, two teenagers in Volusia County were arrested and charged with felonies after a camera caught them kicking a neighbor’s door.
THE DANGERS
Not only is the challenge illegal, said Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood, it’s also dangerous. Chitwood said it’s only a matter of time until this trend ends tragically.
"Imagine being in your home at 2 in the morning, and you are getting these kicking sounds… and in Florida, under the ‘stand your ground’ [law] you are coming out with your gun. Somebody is going to get killed; this isn’t funny."
The Source
FOX 35’s Hannah Mackenzie spoke with law enforcement officers from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and Volusia County Sheriff's Office, including Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood.
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