Huron Township resident shoots at teens playing 'ding dong ditch'

The caller said he believed that someone was trying to break into his house. He'd grabbed a handgun and fired a shot through a window in the direction of the suspects, and he wasn't sure whether he'd hit anyone.

When investigators arrived on the scene, they learned that some teens were out knocking on doors and playing “ding dong ditch." Police said no one had actually tried to get into the home.

Officers were able to find the three teens involved, and they were not injured.

Each of them — a 16-year-old and two 17-year-olds — was ticketed for Creating a Disturbance.

The homeowner was issued a citation for Reckless Discharge of a Firearm, police said, and parents of the juveniles will also be cited for parental responsibility.

Police also checked the neighborhood to make sure that no one in the area had been hit by a stray bullet.

No one was hurt.

Everette Robbins, Director of Public Safety, said said in a statement that 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," 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.”