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We used to have kids randomly do this to us years ago. Usually kids we knew. Annoying, but we blew it off. But I knew they did it to not just us - but randomly down the street.
I made it clear to my son that I wasn't a fan of the "game". But most importantly, if I ever found out he EVER did it to a house where he didn't specifically know who lived there and I found out.... the reason being, we live in a neighborhood with many elderly people. Our neighbor next door especially. The effort for her to go to her door, not to mention, if she fell or hurt herself in the process. I find the whole thing stupid.
I pretty much scared him into never doing it.
About a month ago a friend of mine was telling a story about her daughter. They weren't playing ding dong ditch, but some other game the required them hiding in yards throughout the neighborhood and other team members picking them up in cars.
A group was hiding in the bushes of one man's yard who came out livid. With a gun. Called the police. They were taken down to the station. Did he maybe over react? Probably. (I don't agree with pointing a gun at them). But it also came out that he was in the last stages of cancer. Not in the mood to have teenagers rummaging around in his front yard. The kids were lucky he chose not to press charges, according to the police. My friend didn't think her daughter did anything wrong - that it was an innocent game......
Wrong, totally wrong. Why should a homeowner have to tolerate this? The punks should be prosecuted for trespassing and terrorizing the family.
Agreed. We had some kids from the city come up here and start shooting up the cacti and javelinas. Judge came down on them like a ton of bricks. They had to pay for the damage (saguaros are protected), spent a couple of days in Tent City, were put on probation, and had to make a public apology to the people of the town in a meeting at City Hall. We take the whole idea of private property pretty seriously in this part of the West.
In this day and age, it would scare me to have someone ringing my doorbell AND pounding on the back door late at night, BUT, I don't really see the need to tackle this kid. I'm sure everyone here played "ding dong ditch" at some point as a kid.....except back then, we had a different name for it that was more "politically incorrect."
I have never heard of this "game". I certainly never played it.
I wonder how the ignorant teen would have been punished had it been an elderly couple in the house with weak hearts, or a young mother with small children with no father around. Stupid, stupid teenagers.
I hope the homeowner presses charges of trespass on all those teens. Teens shouldn't get free passes to do such foolish things to other people.
Wow. People over react much? Both teen and adult should be charged. But I expect a helluva lot more from the adult in the situation than the teens. The kid should be glad he's not dead?? Yes, because we should all pull guns on people who pound on our doors at night. Jeezus....
We've just had a rash of home invasions in our area conducted by teens. They came in and pointed guns at the residents while stealing their belongings, trashing the homes, and then driving off in the residents' vehicles.
How do you know in advance if it's a teen prank or a teen criminal? These kids should be glad they're not dead.
But I expect a helluva lot more from the adult in the situation than the teens.
The adult wasn't who was pounding on someone's back door at 10:30 at night. He was in his house minding his business. I would say that was responsible behavior.
On the other hand, the teen WAS pounding on someone's back door at 10:30 at night, and ringing the doorbell on the front door.
Now, in whose world is it ok for ANYBODY to do that to someone?
I'm wondering what those teens were doing out bothering people at that hour to begin with. The man should sue both the teen AND his father for the teen trespassing and harassing and negligence on the father's part for not knowing what his son was doing late at night.
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I would sure hope Castle Law embracers would take the time to determine their personal risk before firing a gun. 
Yeah, shoot someone who is trying to save your life. 
