Case Explained: Viral ‘door-kicking’ trend raises legal questions: What are your rights in Texas? – Legal Perspective

HOUSTON – A viral social media trend is sparking serious safety concerns across the Houston area.

What we know:

After more door-kicking incidents were caught on camera, FOX 26 spoke with a legal expert about where the law stands if this happens to you.

“These types of challenges get you killed. It’s serious. It’s a crime. More than that, it’s simply not funny,” said Chris Tritico, FOX 26 Senior Legal Analyst.

What may seem like a prank on social media can feel like a real threat to someone inside their home.

FOX 26 first reported on the viral TikTok door-kicking challenge last month when it happened in the Heights. This month, teenagers were again caught on camera kicking in someone’s front door and running away, this time in The Woodlands.

Many viewers reached out with questions about their rights in this type of situation.

One viewer asked: “What is the law here? Do you have to wait until they are inside your house to shoot, or can you shoot them right through the door?”

Tritico says under Texas law, homeowners do not necessarily have to wait until someone enters the home.

“You don’t have to wait till they come in the house anymore in Texas because of the law, the way it’s written, when you feel that your property is under attack,” Tritico said. “You don’t have to wait for them to open the door. You don’t have to wait for them to come inside. When they start kicking that door, and you feel threatened, then you can defend yourself and your property.”

Another viewer asked whether the teens involved could face charges.

“In Texas, when you kick somebody’s door, and you damage their property, that’s criminal mischief, and you can get charged with that alone,” Tritico explained. “You go to jail for that. That in and of itself is a crime.”

He added that situations like this can quickly escalate, especially at night.

“When you’re kicking somebody’s door, and you’re scaring them, you might just get shot,” Tritico said. “When you damage somebody else’s property like this, it could not only give you a criminal record, that’s the easy part. The bad part is it can get you killed.”

That loud bang on a front door can easily be mistaken for a break-in, and when intent is unclear, tensions can rise fast.

“The homeowner can’t know who’s on the other side of that door,” Tritico said. “They don’t have to wait to find out if you’re there to burglarize them, rob them, or kill them before they defend themselves. When you kick the door and damage property and scare someone into thinking they’re about to get hurt, they have the right to defend themselves.”

The attorney’s warning is clear: this viral trend is not a game, it won’t just get you into trouble, it could get you killed.