SAN DIEGO — Ding-dong ditch pranks have had a recent resurgence in popularity over TikTok.
In the middle of the night, even in broad daylight, some San Diego County residents are waking up to the ring of their door bell or loud banging knocks. It can be frightening, but it's not illegal.
Last year, three teenaged boys were killed in Southern California after a ding-dong ditch prank. Authorities are concerned and say ringing someone's doorbell could lead to unintended deadly consequences.
"They just need to stop. They just need to stop. They're playing with fire," CBS 8 Legal Analyst Dan Eaton said. "This is a very serious threat, imagine you're sleeping and someone comes into your home."
CBS 8 is Working for You to give San Diego residents what they need to know about California's self-defense laws.
Is California a 'Stand Your Ground' State?
California has what we call the "Castle Doctrine." The king or queen have been legally able to defend their castles since 1872. While California law does allow residents to defend their property with a gun or with deadly force, there are some contingencies.
"Penal Code 198.5 says did he or she act in reasonable fear," Eaton said.
The so-called Castle Doctrine allows you to use lethal force if you're in fear and someone has entered your home. So while brazen and these doorbell ditchers are on your property, they have not crossed that threshold. Even if they are in your backyard or break a window, that's still not enough to hold up in court in California if you open fire.
"It can't be outside. The person has to have forcibly entered, so if you see someone lurking, call 911," Eaton said.
There's a gray area in this law, Eaton said. If you happen to shoot a member of your household — like a teenager who sneaks out — it it could lead to civil or criminal charges, including murder.
"What was in your mind? Did you use more force than was reasonably necessary and that's looked at in hindsight, so you have to be careful here," Eaton said.
At CBS 8, we are always Working for You and our community. This is a station promise that we will go the extra mile to solve a problem our audience can’t solve themselves. We want to hear your ideas on how we can cover and help our community. If you have a story idea, please email us at workingforyou@cbs8.com.
WATCH RELATED: Aggressive form of 'ding-dong ditch' frightens San Diego residents