I’m Sure This Will Prompt The National Guard…

...to rake the leaves in Hermann Park:

HOUSTON — An 11-year-old boy is dead after police say he was shot during a “ding-dong-ditch” prank in east Houston late Saturday night.

The shooting happened around 11 p.m. near Mimbrough and Fidelity streets, just east of the East Loop.

Houston police said the boy and a group of kids had been ringing doorbells in the neighborhood when they knocked at one home. That’s when, according to witnesses, someone came out of the house and started shooting at the children as they ran away.

“A witness says someone ran out of that house and was shooting at the kids running down the street, and unfortunately, sadly enough, one of the boys who was 11 years old was shot in the back,” said HPD Homicide Detective Sgt. Michael Cass.

The boy was taken to the hospital with multiple gunshot wounds and later died Sunday afternoon.

Police said a man was detained at the home where the shooting happened. He has not been arrested but was being questioned by homicide detectives Sunday.

While executing a search warrant at the house, investigators collected several rifles and handguns as evidence.

When asked about potential charges, Sgt. Cass said the circumstances don’t appear to support a self-defense claim.

"In my opinion, it does not look like any type of self-defense. It wasn’t close to the house, so it’ll more than likely be a murder

To be clear, I’m not making light of the horrific shooting. I’m making light of Trump’s threats to send federal troops (NG or otherwise) to clean up crime where he sees it. He won’t see this.

And yes, “self-defense” is a thing in Texas law. A poorly defined thing juries are known to use as a kind of nullification. A few years back a man here in Houston stood in his front door and shot three burglars. Except they didn’t burgle his house; they robbed his neighbor, who wasn’t at home (so, technically, a robbery). They just happened to be crossing his lawn. He shot them in the back. A grand jury no-billed him. Because, you know, “self-defense.”

I don’t think that will work this time, with an 11 year old boy ringing a doorbell. But, ya never know…

Warfighters demonstrating leafality. pic.twitter.com/GAVEUNEnRj

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) September 2, 2025

We do have a lot of trees in Houston. Just sayin’…