14-Year-Old Arrested After Police Say He Kicked in Phoenix Home’s Door as Part of TikTok Trend

PHOENIX, Ariz. — A 14-year-old boy was taken into custody after Phoenix police said he kicked in the front door of a North Phoenix home as part of a viral social media trend, causing roughly $10,000 in damage.

The incident happened Sept. 12 near Tatum Boulevard and Thunderbird Road.

Surveillance video posted to social media appears to show two people approaching the home. One of them kicks open the front door before the pair runs away.

The homeowner’s daughter, Brooke, said the damage left the door unable to properly close.

“There’s like a bunch of cracking in the door in a bunch of different areas,” Brooke said. “Even now, if he’s trying to fix it, it’s like you can’t even really open and close it very easily. Now there has to be boards on it so it stays put.”

Nearly two weeks after the incident, Phoenix police said detectives identified the juvenile they believe kicked in the door.

Police said detectives also determined the red truck the teens arrived in had been reported stolen out of Scottsdale.

The 14-year-old was taken into custody Wednesday and booked into the Durango Juvenile Detention Facility on one count of criminal damage and one count of unlawful use of transportation, according to police.

Detectives also linked the teen to another stolen vehicle that had been reported stolen in Phoenix, police said.

“During the investigation they learned that the same juvenile had also stolen a vehicle, an additional vehicle that was also reported out of the city of Phoenix,” police said.

Door Replaced After Nearly $10,000 in Damage

The damaged door has since been replaced with a new steel door.

Brooke said the total cost of repairing the home was roughly $10,000.

“The damages were really extensive. They had to take out basically everything,” she said.

The repair involved more than simply replacing the door. Brooke said the frame also had to be removed and rebuilt before the new steel doors could be installed.

“He ripped out everything and then ripped out the frame area and had to build new framing, et cetera, for it, and replaced it with steel doors because they’re more sturdy,” Brooke said. “It was a lengthy, lengthy process. It took a while to get done, but it feels a lot better now that it’s done.”

Social Media Attention Brings Community Support

Phoenix police said a Silent Witness tip helped investigators identify the teen.

The homeowner’s family also received support after the surveillance video circulated on social media.

Brooke said the attention helped the family connect with contractors and others who were willing to help with the repairs.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the community, definitely, just because they also helped us find contractors, et cetera, and people that could help us get everything fixed,” she said. “And then they were all very, very supportive and more than happy to help as soon as they saw it.”

Police have not released additional information about the other person seen in the surveillance video.

The case remains under investigation.