Teen sports star shot dead during alleged break-in but accomplice says it was TikTok prank gone wrong

18-year-old lacrosse star Michael Bosworth Junior, died after he was shot in the torso in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, around 3am last Saturday, (May 3). A man has since been arrested for second-degree murder in connection to his death.

Bosworth, who was a senior at Massaponox High School, died on the day of the school prom and was due to graduate later this month.

Police were called after they received a report of a burglary which was happening at that time at a home near the area of Mackenzie Lane.

When officers attended they found Bosworth, who was known as Bos to his loved ones, was badly injured. He later died from his injuries at a local hospital, Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg. Officers also foundanother juvenile at the scene whohad been grazed by a bullet and a third teenager who was unharmed, Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. The other two juveniles have not been named.

The teens were playing a viral TikTok prank known as “Ding Dong Ditch,” according to an affidavit, which involves knocking on people’s doors or ringing their doorbells and running away before occupants answer.

Detective Earle Swift wrote in the affidavit that one of the boys in the group told him that they weren’t there to steal anything and they had played the prank on a couple of homes before Bosworth was fatally shot.

Videos of the pranks were meant to be shared on TikTok, according to the affidavit obtained by the Fredericksburg Free Lance Star. It’s not clear who Bosworth came to be shot.

Malinda Garcia, Bosworth’s girlfriend, shared a tribute to her beau in an Instagram posts she shared with The Washington Post. She wrote: “You were the best boyfriend, person, brother, son and friend that anyone could ask for. I’m so glad I got to share my life with you and learn to love you and cheer you on through everything because you are one of a kind.”

The prom went ahead as planned and the school’s principal said sent a letter to parents where he said that support was available for students affected by the incident. Malinda attended the prom in her late boyfriend’s honour. She uploaded a photo to her Instagram page which showed her in her prom dress, wearing Bosworth’s pink bow tie around her wrist in tribute.

On Tuesday (May 6), authorities charged a man with second-degree murder in connection to Bosworth’s death. Spotsylvania County deputies this week arrested Tyler Chase Butler, age 27, in the incident on charges of second-degree murder, malicious wounding and use of a firearm in commission of a felony.

He is being held at Rappahannock Regional Jail. Butler is scheduled for a court hearing in Hampton next week on unrelated misdemeanor charges of violation of a protective order and unlawfully disseminating images of another.

The sheriff’s office said the person who made the emergency call reported a resident had fired shots after three people tried to kick down a door. Authorities did not publicly identify the caller.

Many of Bosworth’s friends released lanterns in to the sky in tribute to him in the days after his death.