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Police warn of ‘door-kicking challenge’ that can turn viral prank ‘from funny to fatal’

Published

2 months ago

January 19, 2026

Police warn of ‘door-kicking challenge’ that can turn viral prank ‘from funny to fatal’

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Police are warning families about a dangerous social media trend after videos surfaced showing people violently kicking front doors as part of the “door-kicking challenge,” a prank authorities say can escalate into serious injury, criminal charges or worse.

According to a spokesperson for the Ontario, California, Police Department, the trend, which involves people forcefully kicking or slamming doors at homes and then running away while recording the stunt, has resurfaced online and prompted renewed concern nationwide.

While there have been numerous incidents reported across the country, including cases resulting in serious injury or death, the Ontario Police Department has seen only a few related calls for service within the city, the spokesperson said.

“To date, none of our local incidents have resulted in injuries or criminal charges,” the spokesperson said, adding the behavior typically occurs during nighttime hours and most often involves preteen and teenage children.

WATCH: THREE FLORIDA TEENAGERS ARRESTED IN VIRAL ‘DOOR KICK CHALLENGE’ TARGETING HOMEOWNERS

Doorbell camera video shows a person running from a home’s front porch during a reported late-night prank. (Ontario Police Department)

Police say the trend remains dangerous, though.

“This behavior is particularly dangerous due to the risk of serious injury to both participants and residents, significant property damage and the potential for escalation with homeowners,” the spokesperson said. “Participants may also face serious legal consequences, including arrest and criminal charges such as vandalism or trespassing.”

The spokesperson said the department chose to issue a public warning because the trend has recently regained traction on social media, and officers wanted to proactively outline the risks and consequences for the community.

HOMEOWNERS TERRORIZED IN VIRAL CHALLENGE AS POLICE WARN PRANK COULD TURN DEADLY FOR TEENS

Ontario police also clarified that the video shared on the department’s social media platforms does not show incidents from within the city.

“The video includes examples of door-kicking incidents circulating online from outside our jurisdiction,” the spokesperson said. “None of the clips shown depict incidents that occurred within the City of Ontario; they were used to illustrate the broader nationwide trend.”

Recent incidents elsewhere highlight why police say the behavior can quickly turn dangerous. In North Carolina, a juvenile was shot in the leg after a homeowner fired at a vehicle during a late-night ding-dong ditch-style prank, according to police. The homeowner was later arrested on multiple felony charges.

TEENS’ VIRAL PRANK TARGETING HOMEOWNERS COULD HAVE DEADLY CONSEQUENCES, POLICE WARN

In Houston, an 11-year-old boy was fatally shot while playing a “ding-dong ditch” prank, ringing a doorbell and running away, FOX 26 Houston reported.

Police in other states have issued similar warnings. In Kansas, the Benton Police Department warned families after reports of children running through neighborhoods late at night and ringing doorbells as part of the so-called “door kick” or “door knock” challenge, KAKE reported.

Benton Police Chief Kevin Kichler warned that even when no property damage occurs, situations can escalate rapidly.

“It can turn from funny to fatal really quick,” Kichler said, noting that Kansas is a stand-your-ground and castle doctrine state, where homeowners may legally use force if they believe their home is under threat.

Authorities have cited social media in the trend, with videos of the pranks circulating on TikTok and other platforms.

A TikTok spokesperson told Fox News Digital the platform prohibits content that promotes dangerous behavior that could result in serious injury or property damage and removes such content when identified.

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Ontario police are urging parents and guardians to speak with their children about the risks tied to viral challenges.

“We encourage parents and guardians to have conversations with their children about making safe, responsible decisions and to remind them that online trends are never worth risking personal safety, damaging property or jeopardizing future opportunities,” the spokesperson said.

Authorities say residents should report suspicious activity to police immediately.

Fox News Digital’s Julia Bonavita contributed to this report.

Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.

Stepheny Price is a Writer at Fox News with a focus on West Coast and Midwest news, missing persons, national and international crime stories, homicide cases, and border security.

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Denver, CO

Our dumpling challenge boils down to eight Denver metro restaurants

Published

5 minutes ago

March 11, 2026

Press Room

Our dumpling challenge boils down to eight Denver metro restaurants

Like sand through the hourglass, so too go the dumplings of the Denver Post’s annual food bracket.

Our competition started with 32 restaurants chosen by editors and readers specializing in dumplings and momos, a Tibetan and Nepali variation, in the Denver area. Two weeks later, only eight restaurants remain.

The next round of matchups in our Elite 8 competition to be decided by reader votes are:

Rocky Mountain Momo (9678 E. Arapahoe Road, Englewood) vs. ChoLon (multiple locations)

LingLon Dumpling House (2456 S. Colorado Blvd., Denver) vs. Star Kitchen (2917 W. Mississippi Ave., Denver)

Nana’s Dim Sum & Dumplings (multiple locations) vs. Dillon’s Dumpling House (3571 S. Tower Road, Unit G, Aurora)

Hop Alley (3500 Larimer St., Denver) vs. Momo Dumplings (caterer; momo-dumplings.com)

The most recent matchups recorded more than 460 entries. Our most popular head-to-head was Rocky Mountain Momo facing off against Yuan Wonton. Rocky Mountain Momo advances with 55% of 260 votes.

MAKfam, a Chinese restaurant with a Michelin nod for its value, faced a tough first-round opponent, The Empress Seafood, and scraped out a win. But this time, it wasn’t as lucky, losing to ChoLon, an upscale Asian fusion restaurant with multiple locations, by only five votes.

Make your picks below for who should advance to the next round. The online voting form will close at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, March 15.

Subscribe to our new food newsletter, Stuffed, to get Denver food and drink news sent straight to your inbox.

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Seattle, WA

Seattle goal overturned for goalie interference as Predators complete 4-2 comeback win

Published

11 minutes ago

March 11, 2026

Press Room

Seattle goal overturned for goalie interference as Predators complete 4-2 comeback win

SEATTLE — Ryan Ufko scored his first NHL goal with 5:35 to play in the second period to put the Nashville Predators ahead to stay in a 4-2 win over the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday night.

The rookie skated in from the right of the goal, dodged between two defenders, and tucked the puck past Seattle goalie Joey Daccord to give the Predators a 3-2 lead and two critical points in their chase for a wild-card playoff spot. Right now, the team is on the outside of the playoff picture.

Tyson Jost and Reid Schaefer also scored second-period goals to erase Seattle’s 2-0 first-period lead, and Steve Stamkos added an empty-netter for his 31st goal of the season.

Jonathan Marchessault had a pair of assists for Nashville, which had lost four of its previous five, and Juuse Saros made 43 saves.

Kaapo Kakko scored just 2:14 into the game, and Matty Beniers scored at 9:46 of the first period to give the Kraken a 2-0 lead. Beniers scored from a tough angle, firing from the bottom of the right circle and over the shoulder of Saros just inside the far post.

Daccord finished with 23 saves.

Seattle’s Shane Wright scored a goal in the second, but it was waved off because of goalie interference when Ryker Evans slid into Saros and took out his feet.

The Kraken were without left wing Jaden Schwartz, who was hit in the face by a skate during Seattle’s 7-4 loss to Ottawa on Saturday.

Kraken, clinging to a wild-card slot, have now lost five of their last seven games.

Up next

Predators: Visit Vancouver on Thursday night.

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Kraken: Host Colorado on Thursday night.

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San Diego, CA

Padres roster review: Miguel Andujar

Published

17 minutes ago

March 11, 2026

Press Room

Padres roster review: Miguel Andujar – San Diego Union-Tribune

MIGUEL ANDUJAR

Position(s): Third base, left field, first base
Bats / Throws: Right / Right
2026 opening day age: 31
Height / Weight: 6-foot / 211 pounds
How acquired: Signed as a free agent in February 2026
Contract status: Will make $1.5 million in 2026, with the opportunity to earn another $2 million-plus in performance bonuses; his $4 million guarantee includes a $2.5 million buyout against an $8 million mutual option for 2027.
fWAR in 2025: 1.1
Key 2025 stats: .318 AVG, .352 OBP, .470 SLG, 10 HRs, 44 RBIs, 36 runs, 17 walks, 49 strikeouts, 1 steal (94 games, 341 plate appearances)

STAT TO NOTE

.986 — Andujar’s OPS against left-handed pitching in 2025, the second-highest mark of his career and well above his career .807 OPS against southpaws. Andujar had been below .600 in 2021 and 2022 before jumping to .871 in 2023 and a career-high .995 in 2024.

Up — Signed for $700,000 out of the Dominican Republic as a 16-year-old in the international amateur market, Andujar needed two years to get out of the Yankees’ rookie-ball affiliate in the Gulf Coast League and finally cracked top-100 lists ahead of the 2018 season — No. 59 at Baseball America and No. 65 at MLB.com — after reaching Triple-A following a 16-homer season (.850 OPS). Andujar even made his MLB debut as a 22-year-old in 2017 and looked like he’d be a big part of the Yankees’ future after pairing 27 homers and 92 RBIs with an .855 OPS in finishing second to Shohei Ohtani in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2018. But a right shoulder labrum tear derailed Andujar in 2019 and Andujar was never able to grab a starting job again in New York. The Pirates claimed him late in 2022 and then the Athletics claimed him after the 2023 season. By then, he’d developed into a platoon player with defensive limitations. Andujar had a .697 OPS in 75 games in his first year with the Athletics and a .765 OPS in 60 games last year when, after missing time with a right oblique strain, he was shipped to the Reds for a minor league pitcher. Andujar went on to hit .359/.400/.544 with four homers and 17 RBIs in 34 games to help the Reds lock up a wild-card spot. He was 0-for-4 with a walk and a strikeout in the NL Wild Card Series sweep at the hands of the Dodgers.

Miguel Andujar #41 of the San Diego Padres participates in drills during spring training workouts at the Peoria Sports Complex on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026 in Peoria, Ariz.(Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

2026 OUTLOOK

The need for right-handed balance in the lineup was painfully obvious in the Padres’ NL Wild Card Series loss to the Cubs, so Andujar became a target after 1B/OF Ryan O’Hearn walked as a free agent. Expect Andujar to get at-bats against lefties as either a DH, first base, third base or left field — the spots he’s been playing in spring training.