A viral online stunt known as the “Door Kick Challenge” is circulating again, leading Irvine police to warn that kicking strangers’ doors can cause serious damage and put people at risk.
The challenge involves running up to a home, kicking the front door, recording the act and fleeing before anyone comes outside. Irvine police shared surveillance footage showing groups approaching homes and running off. In one video, a boy knocks several times, then kicks the door as the group runs away.
“This isn’t a prank. It’s vandalism, and it can end badly,” the department said.
Police warned that participants could damage property, frighten residents or trigger a dangerous confrontation. The consequences, they said, could include criminal charges or someone being seriously hurt.
Irvine police have received more than 20 calls over the past month about people kicking doors or residents reporting that their homes were targeted, Officer Ziggy Azarcon told local media. Some incidents caused enough damage for police to file vandalism reports.
The warning follows a shooting in Boise, Idaho, less than a week ago. Police said a group of boys had been playing “ding-dong ditch” at a home on Nov. 7. When they returned, the resident chased them and fired a gun. A 15-year-old was hit and initially suffered injuries considered serious or critical, though they were not believed to be life-threatening. Police arrested 45-year-old Darin Young on a felony aggravated battery charge.
A similar prank ended in a child’s death in Houston last year. Eleven-year-old Julian Guzman and his cousin had repeatedly knocked on a man’s door and run away after a family birthday gathering. Investigators said Gonzalo Leon Jr. came from behind a gate and fired twice. One shot struck Guzman, who died in hospital the next day.
Leon was later indicted on a capital murder charge. A judge set his bond at $1.5 million in May.
Though the Boise and Houston incidents involved “ding-dong ditch,” they illustrate how quickly a prank at someone’s home can turn dangerous. Irvine police urged parents to discuss the challenge and its possible consequences with their children.
“What might get a few laughs or likes online can have very real consequences offline,” the department said.
