Virginia Teen Killed in TikTok Prank Gone Wrong: 18-Year-Old Michael Bosworth Jr. Fatally Shot Before Graduation, 27-Year-Old Tyler Butler Charged with Murder
SPOTSYLVANIA, Va. — What should have been a joyous lead-up to graduation has turned into a heartbreaking tragedy for the Massaponax High School community. Just days before their milestone moment, students are mourning the death of 18-year-old Michael Bosworth Jr., who was shot and killed on Saturday, May 4, during what authorities describe as a prank gone fatally wrong in a Fredericksburg-area neighborhood.
According to the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the 10000 block of Winding Creek Drive after receiving a 911 call reporting an attempted home burglary. When they arrived, they discovered that Bosworth had been shot. He was pronounced dead shortly afterward.
Investigators have since arrested 27-year-old Tyler Chase Butler, who lives at the residence where the shooting occurred. Butler has been charged with second-degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and reckless handling of a firearm. He is currently being held without bond at the Rappahannock Regional Jail.
Court documents and police statements reveal that Bosworth and two friends were participating in a viral prank known as “ding-dong-ditch,” where individuals ring doorbells and flee. The teens were reportedly filming the prank for TikTok, with plans to post the video as part of a social media trend. However, the prank turned tragic when Butler allegedly opened fire on the teens, fatally striking Bosworth and injuring another minor. A third teen was not physically harmed.
“It’s been very emotional, honestly, because we graduate next week,” said Khamoni Keys, a fellow senior at Massaponax High School. “He was a very passionate person about stuff — it’s just so sad that he had to go the way he did.”
Keys, who was friends with both Bosworth and the surviving shooting victim, described the shock that swept through the senior class. “I went to the hospital that morning actually, because when I heard one of my closer friends got shot, I had to go be there.”
The Massaponax High School community gathered for a previously scheduled “senior sunset” event after the tragedy. It turned into an emotional gathering of support and remembrance. “It’s been very rough,” Keys added. “But I think we’ll all get through it as long as we stay together the way we are. And that’s how it is right now. We’re all together. No one’s alone.”
Authorities continue to investigate the case, including the circumstances leading up to the shooting and whether the teens posed any real threat to the home or its occupants. Sheriff’s deputies are urging the public, especially youth, to consider the potential consequences of internet-driven pranks.
Michael Bosworth Jr. was described by his classmates as a charismatic, kind-hearted young man full of potential. He was set to graduate in just a matter of days, a milestone now marked by grief rather than celebration.
A memorial is expected to be held in the coming days as the community rallies around Bosworth’s family. Supporters have also called for conversations about gun safety, youth decision-making, and the dangers of viral internet challenges.