A SICK TikTok challenge has left a neighborhood terrorized and even forced one family to move from their home after it was targeted 18 times.
The Chandler Police Department in Arizona is warning homeowners of a possibly destructive social media trend.
Participants in the trend dare one another to kick down doors and vandalize homes.
Police are calling on parents to talk to their children about the prank and inform them that it can result in criminal charges.
Parents are urged to talk to their kids, be aware of their whereabouts, who they are with, and what activities they are engaged in. This advice was emphasized by the department via social media.
“Help them understand the legal and personal consequences of these actions.”
A video shows one person kicking a door and banging on it several times.
Another part of the clip shows a group of people doing the same thing all at once.
Police have said that some teens turned off electrical boxes as part of the “prank,” shutting off people’s power.
“They’re just getting weird TikTok challenges and they’re daring each other,” Mesa resident Angelica Proffer told local CBS affiliate KTVK-TV.
Proffer said her neighborhood has experienced similar pranks, and her neighbors were victims.
“Their garage door was dented pretty bad,” she said.
Proffer, a teacher, was able to identify some of the teens participating in the trend by sending a video of the incident to the local high school.
“The boys that did it at our house, they didn’t even know each other. Just some kids walking by them dared them to do it,” she said.
When a group of kids unintentionally caused damage, their parents were deeply embarrassed. They offered to cover the costs, provide assistance, and support in any way possible. The parents acknowledged the possibility of facing legal repercussions but were cooperative and willing to resolve the situation.
Proffer didn’t press charges, however, the trend has continued to happen in other cities, including Chandler, about a 30-minute drive from Phoenix.
Chandler Police Detective Zachary Odom mentioned that another family, opting to remain anonymous, has been repeatedly victimized due to this disturbing pattern.
“A group of juveniles arrived at a specific house and targeted them about 18 times,” said Odom.
So far, charges have been submitted against three teens who were seen in the video attacking the home.
“So the couple was terrified to the point where, in the end, they did move out of the residence,” said Odom.
The detective added that the family was scared and wasn’t sure if someone was trying to break into the home.
The teens who attacked the home didn’t know the couple and were unaware that the residence had been targeted so many times.
Odom said the teens could face several charges, including criminal damage, disorderly conduct, and harassment.
The U.S. Sun has reached out to the Chandler Police Department for comment.
