GIG HARBOR, WASHINGTON — The Pierce County Sheriff's Office is warning against a social media trend known as the "door kick challenge" after a man kicked in the door of a Gig Harbor home on May 9. The incident occurred at 3:30 a.m. local time, when a male suspect approached the residence and kicked the door multiple times, shattering the door frame. Two other suspects fled the scene with him.

The challenge has been spreading on TikTok and other social media platforms, with participants recording themselves kicking or banging on doors before running away. The Pierce County Sheriff's Office has seen similar pranks throughout the county, though there have been no reports of injuries caused by interactions with homeowners.

"These were grown men. We don't really see a lot of adults doing these types of challenges," Deputy Carly Cappetto said.

Cappetto pointed to the risk that homeowners could respond with force. "There are a lot of people who are registered firearm owners and they have firearms at their doors. They will shoot if they feel like someone is breaking into their house. I don't think that really crosses their minds when there's a group of them and peer pressure," she said.

In body camera footage from the incident, one person was recorded saying, "I don't care if you're pranking or not, people die from pranks. It's a good way to not get to be 25 [years old]."

Last summer in Houston, an 11-year-old boy was shot in the back and killed after knocking on a door and running away as part of the prank. The man who fired the shots is now facing murder charges.

Cappetto urged parents to talk to their children about the potentially dangerous consequences of any prank. "Is it potentially going to hurt somebody, or will it cause property damage? And if you answer yes to any of those questions, you should not be doing the prank," she said.