"Door Kick Challenge": Massachusetts police warn of potentially dangerous TikTok trend

Police in Westboro, Massachusetts, are warning of an alarming and potentially dangerous TikTok trend called the "Door Kick Challenge."

Police say they've had several recent reports of people trying to kick down doors. Now investigators are working to find whoever is responsible and potentially charge them.

The scary thing for victims is they don't know if someone is actually trying to break into their homes.

One violent kick and a rude awakening. It was the kind of force that shook Amy Dwyer out of deep sleep after it shook her house. Someone tried to kick in her front door in the middle of the night Saturday.

"Literally like leapt out of bed like, 'What the heck was that?'" said Dwyer. "It's terrifying. I didn't know if somebody was trying to come in my house and hurt me or kill me or hurt my family."

Police said think of the challenge like "Ding Dong Ditch," except it's taken to a dangerous extreme where pranksters nearly break in doors, leaving real damage.

Since Dwyer's is a custom one-unit door, she must replace the entire thing for $4,000.

"Four thousand dollars for punk kids potentially thinking they're funny. I'm not amused at all. It's a major inconvenience; it's very unsettling. I haven't slept well the last couple of nights," said Dwyer.

Just around the corner, another door and another family left shaken. Melissa Gonzalez says her door was damaged after someone tried to kick it in at 2:30 a.m. last month. She's since installed surveillance cameras around her home.

"I don't feel safe anymore," said Gonzalez. "It doesn't really matter if they're children or not; the fact of the matter is that somebody is out there trying to scare neighbors and that's terrorizing."

And it leaves those who've been targeted wondering where the parents are while this is happening.

"Who is creating these challenges and asking kids to do this and why do they think it's a good idea, and why aren't the parents more involved in what their kids are looking at on social media?" said Dwyer.

Police say it can also be dangerous to the pranksters if they try to kick in the wrong door and a homeowner believes they're under attack. Police say, if anyone has any video or sees anything suspicious, to call them.