A startled Julington Creek homeowner grabbed his pistol Sunday night after teens violently booted his front door in the middle of the night, according to a report.
The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Department confirmed Tuesday, that several teens were detained after the resident called 911 and reported what he feared was an attempted break-in.
Robert Corlett told Action News Jax that his wife called SJSO after the couple heard several loud thumps.
Corlett grabbed his legal firearm, marched up to the door and asked who was there. No one answered.
Soon after, Corlett heard a police helicopter overhead as deputies swarmed the normally quiet residential area, according to the outlet.
Several teens were quickly detained nearby, all of them juveniles, SJSO said in a release. They agency did not reveal if they faced any criminal charges.
“This could have gone very badly, very fast,” Corlett told the news station.
Other homeowners on the same block reported similar mischief that night.
Residents from across St. Johns County have frequently posted videos of hooded teens kicking their front doors and racing away over the last year.
It’s a trend, law enforcement officials say, that’s linked to a TikTok “door kick challenge.”
Corlett said he wants the kids responsible to pay for damage to his door.
