ORLANDO, Fla. – Neighbors in Orlando’s Conway area say teenagers are taking part in the so-called “door kick challenge,” a prank where someone kicks a home’s front door and runs away.
One homeowner in the Shenandoah neighborhood says she experienced it firsthand Wednesday afternoon. Surveillance video recorded shortly before 4:30 p.m. shows a teen running away from the front door of a home moments after the loud bang. The woman who lives there says the teen kicked the door, startling her while she was inside.She later posted the video on a neighborhood community page to warn others about the trend.
“It’s a little bit like ding-dong ditch, but it sounds like it could be much more aggressive and scary if that happened,” neighbor Barrett Brown said.
Brown, who lives nearby, said no one has kicked his door so far, but the noise alone could easily alarm someone inside.
“You’re not going to go to the door because you’re so scared,” Brown said.
An 18-year-old neighbor, Will Buzyniski, said he once took part in a similar prank years ago and was caught on a neighbor’s camera.
“I actually used to do that as a kid,” Buzyniski said. “I stopped doing it because I did get posted on that community page. It’s probably not the best thing to do.”
Buzyniski said his parents were not happy when they found out.
“My parents weren’t too happy. Other than that, it wasn’t too bad,” he said.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office says it is investigating a separate report in the Conway area involving teens kicking a homeowner’s front door. Deputies say no arrests have been made. In a statement, the sheriff’s office warned that the prank could have serious consequences.
“Imagine that a homeowner who is a lawful gun owner believes that someone is breaking down their door to do harm to their family — that could have tragic consequences for a prankster,” the agency said.
Some neighbors say the situation could quickly escalate if someone believes their home is being targeted. One woman who spoke off camera said if she were home alone and heard loud banging at her door, she is not sure how she might react.
Others say the teens may not understand how frightening the prank can be.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office is reminding teens that depending on the severity of their actions, they could face criminal charges, including felonies.