After a bunch of children played a practical joke on him by ringing his doorbell, a Missouri man is facing six charges.
A group of young people were playing “ding dong ditch,” a game when children ring a doorbell and then flee before the occupant answers, when the incident began.
All things considered, it’s a very innocuous prank—until they pulled it on Melvin Rankin, 40.
The children rang the bell once and then caught a glimpse of Rankin in a window close by inside the house. After ringing the bell once again, the children raced away. According to authorities, however, Rankin was not going to permit that. The children said they were trying to flee when they heard a gunshot coming from the garage and ran to their car. In his vehicle, Rankin pursued them to a dead end in the area.
Authorities claim that at this moment, Rankin exited his vehicle and laid the children on the ground while holding them at gunpoint. They were left stranded after Rankin stole their car keys.
When police conducted a traffic stop on Rankin the next day, they discovered that he was in possession of two firearms and a controlled drug. A shotgun was also found during a check of his house.
Rankin has previously run afoul of the law after being placed under continuous GPS surveillance following a conviction for first-degree statutory rape.
