Virginia 3-sport athlete killed while attempting a TikTok video prank

According to reports, Michael Bosworth Jr., a senior at Massaponax High in Virginia, was allegedly shot to death by Tyler Chase Butler
Michael Bosworth Jr. (1) played football and lacrosse, as well as wrestling at Virginia's Massaponax high school.
Michael Bosworth Jr. (1) played football and lacrosse, as well as wrestling at Virginia's Massaponax high school. / Michael Bosworth Jr. Instagram

According to a NBC4 Washington report, 18-year old Michael Bosworth Jr., a three-sport senior student-athlete at Massaponax High School (Virginia), was killed last week in Spotsylvania County while attempting a TikTok video prank with friends.

As the report details, 27-year old Tyler Chase Butler has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder, malicious wounding and use of a firearm in commission of a felony.

The report states that Bosworth Jr. and a couple friends were attempting to pull a ding-dong ditch prank for a TikTok video when Butler opened fire on the teens in the early morning hours this past Saturday. A local resident called the Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Office to report a residential burglary in progress after the gunshots were fired.

Police stated that Butler, who is 27, reported that three teens attempted to break into his house. One of the two surviving teens was also wounded, but not serious, and both said they were not attempting to rob the house, only trying to record a prank that would be later posted on the social media app TikTok.

Bosworth Jr., who was a member of the Panthers' football, wrestling and lacrosse teams, was taken to a nearby hospital where he later died. The senior passed away hours before Massaponax's prom, which he was scheduled to attend later that Saturday evening.

"I'm sorry the kid did that. I wish he hadn't done what he did because he had to pay the ultimate price. Nobody likes that. Nobody. Not even the homeowner, but it's very unfortunate," Fredericksburg resident Shawn Morrell said via a FOX 5 Washington DC report


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Andy Villamarzo
ANDY VILLAMARZO

Andy Villamarzo has been a sports writer in the Tampa Bay (FL) Area since 2007, writing for publications such as Tampa Bay Times, The Tampa Tribune, The Suncoast News, Tampa Beacon, Hernando Sun to name a few. Andy resides out of the Tarpon Springs, FL area and started as a writer with SB Live Sports in the summer of 2022 covering the Tampa Bay Area. He has quickly become one of Florida's foremost authorities on high school sports, appearing frequently on podcasts, radio programs and digital broadcasts as an expert on team rankings, recruiting and much more.