Gonzalo Leon Jr., a 42-year-old U.S. Army Veteran in Houston, Texas, has been charged after fatally shooting an 11-year-old boy, identified as Julián Guzman, in a door-knocking prank gone wrong.
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The Fatal Shooting Of Julián Guzman
The incident unfolded late last Saturday, August 30. Guzman was hanging out with his cousin at a family birthday party when they decided to venture off on their own. What began as innocent adventure soon took a devastating turn.
As the boys walked the streets of their East Houston neighborhood, they played the classic prank “Ding Dong Ditch.” The age-old prank involved them ringing a neighbor’s doorbell and fleeing before they had time to answer. The boys had successfully rang a few doorbells before running off. Around 11 p.m., they stumbled upon a two-story house with a large porch. Guzman pressed the doorbell and prepared to run.
After pressing the bell, the two boys took off running, making it at least 20 feet away from the home. Instead of ignoring the prank, the resident rushed outside onto his property and fired two shots. One bullet struck Guzman in the back.
Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare stated the boy was rushed to the hospital, but he died the next day. The child’s death made him the latest, and one of the youngest, victims to die of violence stemming from the re-popularized “Ding Dong Ditch” prank for this generation.
Police said Leon did not emerge when they first arrived. He came out about 20 minutes later and was detained. On Monday (September 1), prosecutors charged Leon with the boy’s murder. Prosecutor John Brewer told the judge that more charges could be filed, possible even a capital murder charge. His bond was set at $1 million. His conditions include home confinement and electronic monitoring.
11-Year-Old Boy’s Cousin Dragged His Gunshot-Wounded Body After Ding Dong Ditch Prank Gone Wrong
According to police in Houston, Leon was home with his wife and toddler daughter when the shots were fired. Later, during investigation, Leon’s wife gave police consent to search their home. Inside, officers discovered nearly 20 weapons, including AR-style rifles and handguns.
Recalling the the fatal shooting door-knocking prank with investigators, Guzman’s cousin said they knocked on the Army veteran’s door several times before running away. The cousin said he then “saw a male dressed in black exit the wooden gate attached” to the house.
He then recalled a man firing once “into the ground” before he “raised his pistol and shot once again in their direction.” Guzman then “collapsed to the ground, asking for help.” The wounded boy cried out that he had been shot. The cousin explained that he ran to help Guzman and “Army” dragged him “because he believed that his legs were paralyzed.”
The child also told police the suspect “was standing next to the stop sign right in front of the house.” A detective later confirmed “there is a stop sign at the corner in front of the house.”
Man Charged With Murder Of 11-Year-Old Boy Playing Door-Knocking Prank Identified As A U.S. Army Veteran
According to ABC News, U.S. Army spokesman Tony McCormick confirmed that the Gonzalo Leon Jr. — the suspect in the fatal shooting of the 11-year-old door-knocking prankster — is a 42-year-old U.S. Army Veteran living in Houston, Texas.
While sharing Leon’s military history, McCormick revealed that Leon was an Army infantryman from August 2013 to December 2016. He also achieved the rank of specialist. Leon was deployed to Afghanistan from November 2014 to April 2015. Leon also served in the Texas National Guard until May 2021.
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