Florida teens from Hillsborough County have added balaclavas and Airsoft guns to what used to be called doorbell-ditch.
Now, rather than just ringing the doorbell, the masked teens kick the front door and fire several Airsoft rounds at the homes before running away, a video shows.
The events were captured by the victim’s doorbell camera in Riverview, Florida last Friday.
The “masked gunman” approached the front door wearing a ski mask while armed with his Airsoft carbine. He kicks the front door, fires several rounds and then runs away.
Neighbors saw the group earlier. One woman asked them what they were doing, and someone from the group told her to “mind her own business.” She called police instead.
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s deputies are trying to locate the offenders, who did not live in the neighborhood where they fired the shots.
Anyone who recognizes the suspects is asked to call Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office detectives at (813) 247-8200.
Takeaways
Florida is perhaps one of the worst states for this newish crime trend, especially Hillsborough County.
The county has an overall crime rate of 17.02 per 1,000 residents. Its violent crime rate is 27.3 per 1,000 residents, and its property crime rate is 48.9 per 1,000 residents. These levels are higher than national statistics, so many county residents are well prepared for criminals.
Florida’s (real) gun ownership rate is nationally known—second only to Texas. Many Floridians are armed all of the time, even while at home.
It is hoped that the offenders’ parents act before these youths encounter a homeowner who is armed with something that doesn’t just shoot plastic pellets.
This story is presented by the Second Amendment Foundation’s Investigative Journalism Project and wouldn’t be possible without you. Please click here to make a tax-deductible donation to support more pro-gun stories like this.
About Lee Williams
Lee Williams, who is also known as “The Gun Writer,” is the chief editor of the Second Amendment Foundation’s Investigative Journalism Project. Until recently, he was also an editor for a daily newspaper in Florida. Before becoming an editor, Lee was an investigative reporter at newspapers in three states and a U.S. Territory. Before becoming a journalist, he worked as a police officer. Before becoming a cop, Lee served in the Army. He’s earned more than a dozen national journalism awards as a reporter, and three medals of valor as a cop. Lee is an avid tactical shooter.
Somebody is gonna get shot by a homeowner. Then the kid’s parents are gonna try to sue the homeowner. Unsuccessfully. And it’s gonna be proclaimed as needless gun violence by the left.
A very good way for non thinking teens (and anyone else) to get dead. Breaking into someone’s home and possessing and pointing a weapon at someone is a quick way to find out that JESUS is real and so is hell. There is just no time to verify if that weapon is real or not, you will have to assume that it is real and there is intent to do you harm. A tree is known by it’s fruit. When you act like a terrorist, murderer, cartel operator you will be treated as such. I hope the cops find and… Read more »
If you have half a brain or more and someone wearing a mask and holding a gun kicks your door, you are not gonna ask yourself if the gun is real or not. You’re going to use your own gun…and it’s going to be ruled justified…at least in Florida and any other state led by officials who also have half a brain or more!
Ahh, the ultimate FAFO!
Great to see your work on this platform again Lee.
The stupidity of these teens is breathtaking. Even in my advanced age I still laugh at a harmless prank, but this is suicidal.
I guess the days of “the purse trick”, tying monofilament fishing line to a purse and putting it on the side of the road or in a parking lot where you can be concealed and snatching it back when someone tries picking it up are over, I agree with Lee, I hope their parent intervene before it’s too late.
Awww Dey jes be teenin, your just racist, don’t need to kill unarmed kids, just about to get their lives together and allllll the other dumb comments that will come outta the families mouths as well as the press when one gets smoked
My camera alerts me to someone approaching my door. I greet the UPS guy in person before he puts the package down. This “prank” could end poorly.
This is a tragedy just waiting to happen. These airsoft guns look so real that it is hard to tell the difference. It is just a matter of time before it happens. PARENTS! Where are YOU in this goat rope mess??
Boom boom out go the lights
Good way to get kiIIed. No sympathy for when it happens, and it WlLL happen.