A Phoenix family is facing thousands of dollars in possible repairs after two people were caught on security video apparently kicking open the front door of their home and then running away, an incident police say may be connected to a social media trend.
12News reporter Tiani Jadulang said the incident happened shortly before 6:30 a.m. at a home in Phoenix, where resident Brooke W. was inside when she suddenly heard a loud crash.
At first, Brooke thought the noise might have come from a vehicle accident outside.
“I just heard a loud bang, and then it sounded like maybe a hit-and-run or something like that,” she told Jadulang.
What she found instead was damage to her own front door.
Security Video Shows Two People Running Away
Jadulang reported that security camera footage appeared to show two people approaching the home, kicking the front door open and then quickly leaving the area.
Brooke asked 12News not to show her face for safety reasons and said her family did not recognize either person seen in the video.
The incident was confusing as much as it was frightening because there was no obvious attempt to steal anything after the door was forced open.
“I don’t understand why somebody would just do that, let alone it being a trend on TikTok or whatever else,” Brooke said.
She said nothing like this had happened at the home before.
One of the most unsettling parts, according to Brooke, was not immediately knowing whether someone had actually entered the house or was still inside.
“I thought somebody was in the house,” she said.
She also noted that valuables were sitting in plain view, including her purse and shoes, yet the people seen on camera appeared to kick the door and leave.
That detail is what makes the incident feel especially reckless. Even if the goal was only to create a video or imitate an online challenge, someone inside the home had no way of knowing that in the moment.
Police Point to Possible ‘Door Kick Challenge’
Phoenix police told 12News that the incident may be connected to a social media trend sometimes described as the “door kick challenge.”
Brooke said she had not been familiar with the trend before what happened at her home.
A neighbor later told her that similar incidents had been discussed on Nextdoor, prompting her to search online.
“My neighbor also told me that on Nextdoor she saw that it was kind of a thing,” Brooke said. “Then I looked it up on the internet and saw that it was like a whole entire trend that people are doing.”
Police have not said definitively that the people in the video were participating in that challenge, but they believe the possibility is worth considering.
The distinction matters because the motive has not been proven. What is clear, however, is that the family was left with real property damage regardless of whether the people involved considered it a prank.
Door Was Left So Damaged It Would Not Close
Brooke told Jadulang that the front door suffered significant damage and could no longer close properly after being kicked in.
“There’s like a bunch of cracking in the door in a bunch of different areas,” she said.
Even while someone was trying to repair it, she said the door remained difficult to open and close.
The family eventually had to put boards on it just to keep it secured.
For a homeowner, that turns a few seconds of someone else’s behavior into a much longer problem. A damaged front door is not only cosmetic; it can leave a house difficult to secure and force a family to make repairs immediately.
Brooke said the family is now considering a stronger metal replacement door.
Repairs Could Cost Thousands
The price estimates have only added to the frustration.
Brooke said one company quoted the family almost $1,400 simply to board up the damaged door while they waited for a full replacement.
The replacement itself could be far more expensive.
“The actual door … was going to be like 13,000, I want to say,” Brooke told 12News.
Those numbers show why calling something a “challenge” can minimize the damage involved. What may look like a few seconds of entertainment to someone participating can leave a homeowner with a large repair bill, security concerns and the stress of wondering whether the same people might come back.
It also shifts all of the financial consequences onto someone who had nothing to do with the trend in the first place.
Resident Says Viral Trends Can Have Real Consequences
Brooke said the incident changed the way she views viral social media challenges.
She believes people sometimes take part in these trends without thinking through what their actions could mean for the people on the receiving end.
“There’s a lot of really bad trends on TikTok and stuff like that that people are not really thinking about the actual effect of,” she said.
Brooke also referred to what she called the “cost-benefit analysis” of how taking part in something like this could affect a person’s future.
That concern goes beyond the repair bill.
Phoenix police told Jadulang that incidents involving kicking or damaging doors could lead to criminal charges, including disorderly conduct, criminal damage or trespassing.
In other words, something someone treats as a joke or online stunt can quickly become a police matter.
Police Hope Video Helps Identify Those Involved
The security footage may now play an important role in the investigation.
Jadulang’s report showed the two people leaving the area shortly after the door was kicked open, and 12News anchor Chase Golightly expressed hope that the footage could help police identify them.
For Brooke and her family, the immediate problem is repairing the home and making the entrance secure again.
But the incident has also left them with a different sense of vulnerability.
Before that morning, Brooke said nothing similar had ever happened at the house. Now the family is considering a stronger door and has had to think about the possibility that a random social media trend may have brought strangers directly to their home.
Whether police ultimately determine that the incident was part of the so-called door kick challenge or something else, the damage is already done.
Jadulang’s report makes one point especially clear: what might be framed online as a prank can look very different from inside the home of the person suddenly hearing their front door crash open before sunrise.
Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, John developed a love for the great outdoors early on. With years of experience as a wilderness guide, he’s navigated rugged terrains and unpredictable weather patterns. John is also an avid hunter and fisherman who believes in sustainable living. His focus on practical survival skills, from building shelters to purifying water, reflects his passion for preparedness. When he’s not out in the wild, you can find him sharing his knowledge through writing, hoping to inspire others to embrace self-reliance.
