PASADENA, Md. (WSVN) — Officials and homeowners in Maryland are sounding the alarm about a terrifying social media trend that is sweeping through neighborhoods, saying the startling action could escalate into violence or tragedy.
Teens are kicking in people’s doors in the middle of the night, leaving homeowners in Pasadena, a suburb located south of Baltimore, on edge.
What might look like an innocent prank captured in Ring surveillance video is actually part of a much larger and potentially dangerous viral sensation.
Candice Knight, who said her in a Baltimore-area home was targeted by the pranksters early Monday morning, spoke out about the troubling TikTok trend.
“We hear ‘boom, boom, boom.’ They had kicked my door in and busted my whole door frame,” she said.
The disruptive intrusions, which take place in the middle of the night, have teens running up to homes and kicking doors as loud as they can.
Knight said she hid her 12 year old son in a closet out of fear.
“It was gut-wrenching. It was, ‘Whoever comes through this door, I will die to protect him,’” she said.
When the chaos was over, Knight said, she found her door frame busted.
Lisa Hazen said her home was also targeted,
“They donkey-kicked my door loud. It was shocking, to say the least. I have my grandchildren with me,” she said.
“Two o’clock in the morning, ‘bam, bam, bam.’ I shoot up out of bed. It sounds like a sledgehammer,” said another resident who asked not to be identified or show her face on camera..
Police said two teens, ages 13 and 14, were arrested and charged.
Neighbors said this is more than a silly prank or ding-dong ditch.
“That’s nothing compared to what they did, and what worries me is that some mother is going to lose their child,” said Hazen.
“How do you not know that your children aren’t home at 3 a.m.?” said Knight, “You play stupid games, you win stupid prizes. These children are going to lose their lives over something so stupid.”
The resident who asked not to be identified said she called police when her door was targeted, but the teens responsible get away with just a slap on the wrist.
“I can tell you that you feel very threatened when it happens, like someone’s coming to get us,” she said. “It would be very helpful if the authorities would take it a little more seriously with the kids.”
Police warn that even though the teens may think the prank is funny, it’s illegal and dangerous, and they will be arrested.