'Ding Dong Ditch' Leads To Homeowner Firing Shots In Wayne County: Police

HURON TOWNSHIP, MI — A homeowner fired shots at teens who were playing "ding dong ditch" early Monday morning in Wayne County, according to police.

The incident happened at 3:35 a.m. Monday at a home in the 29000 block of Rosewood in Huron Township, according to police.

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Three teens, ages 16, 17, and 17, knocked on a door in the Country Meadows Mobile Home Community and ran away from the home, according to police.

As the teens ran away, the homeowner fired a shot in the teens direction, according to police.

The homeowner called 911 and reported the shooting, believing someone was trying to break into their home, and was unsure if anyone had been hit, according to police.

Investigators found the teens and determined they were not trying to enter the home. Instead, the teens had been knocking on other doors that night as well.

Police said there were no injuries in the shooting and no surrounding homes were struck by gunfire.

The juveniles were each issued citations for creating a disturbance, according to police, who also cited the teens parents for violation of parental responsibility.

The homeowner was cited for reckless discharge of a firearm.

"This situation could have had a much worse outcome. While this is a kids game that has been played for a long time, banging on a person's door in the middle of the night while they're sleeping can force them to make split-second decisions that can have deadly consequences," Huron Township Director of Public Safety Everette Robbins said. "Parents, please use this as an opportunity to talk to your kids about this type of behavior. A reminder that it is a parent's responsibility to know where their children are, especially during the overnight hours. It is also the responsibility of a gun owner to know exactly what they are pointing their weapon at and shooting towards. Hopefully this can be a learning experience for all of us."