A Miami man, Juan Francisco Carranza, was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly pistol-whipping a child playing ding-dong-ditch.
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Miami Man Allegedly Pistol-Whipped Child Over Game Of Ding-Dong-Ditch
A game of ding-dong ditch in Miami, Florida, ended with a man under arrest and an injured child. Juan Francisco Carranza was arrested on Wednesday, October 28, for allegedly pistol-whipping a juvenile, according to CBS News. The child was reportedly playing ding-dong ditch with friends on Thursday, October 22, when the confrontation occurred.
Deputies from the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office were called to a residence on Friday, October 23, about the reported incident. Once there, two children claimed they were playing ding-dong-ditch — a game in which kids knock on doors and run — with a group of friends at approximately 7:35 p.m. The juveniles told the deputies that all of a sudden, a black Mercedes-Benz pulled up. After that, a man later identified as Francisco Carranza got out and approached the group with a gun. Furthermore, he demanded to know which child was the oldest as he waved the gun in their faces, according to WSVN.
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The juveniles said Francisco Carranza hit one of them in the head with the bottom of the gun when they didn’t answer.
Child Reportedly Needed Multiple Stitches
Francisco Carranza allegedly hit the child on the left side of the head, near their left ear. The injury reportedly required multiple stitches at the hospital. Subsequently, Francisco Carranza was arrested on Wednesday evening near his home on Southwest 161st Place.
Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office deputies claim that the 32-year-old partially admitted to the incident. However, he did not answer when asked if he had a gun during the encounter. He is facing felony aggravated child abuse with great bodily harm and aggravated assault with a firearm charges. In addition, his bond was set at $10,000.
Virginia Ding-Dong-Ditch Game Ends In Death
The Shade Room reported that a game of ding-dong-ditch became fatal in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. At approximately 3:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 3, 2025, Michael Bosworth Jr. was playing ding-dong ditch with friends. In addition, the kids were kicking Tyler Chase Butler’s door and slamming his garage door. Butler lived with his mother and thought they were being robbed. Subsequently, he shot three of the teens, who were completing a TikTok challenge. Bosworth Jr. died from his injuries, and Butler was convicted of second-degree murder in August 2026, according to NBC4 Washington. In addition, he was convicted of attempted second-degree murder for shooting Bosworth’s two friends. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Friday, October 30.
