Teens are kicking front doors of Hillsboro homes as part of a viral TikTok challenge. The Washington County Sheriff's Office (WCSO) says participants could face felony charges.

Hillsboro resident Marta Sanchez told KOIN 6 News that a group of kids came to her door twice in recent weeks. Sanchez, who gets around primarily on a walker, said the experience left her shaken and feeling helpless.

"I literally thought somebody was trying to break down the door. It was super, super loud … Even the video doesn't even do it justice," Sanchez said.

The so-called "TikTok Door Knock Challenge" works like an amped-up version of ding-dong-ditch. Participants film themselves sprinting to a stranger's front door, kicking it hard, then running away and posting the footage online.

WCSO has seen an uptick in calls about the behavior, Cpl. David Huey, a sheriff's office spokesperson, told KOIN 6 News on Wednesday, Sept. 30. Huey said the incidents are causing significant alarm for people inside their homes.

A WCSO Youth Services officer first flagged the trend and brought it to the agency's Public Affairs Team so deputies could warn parents. Huey said participants face criminal mischief charges. If damage to the door or frame tops $1,000, the charge could rise to a felony.

That threshold is not hypothetical. In Phoenix, a 14-year-old was arrested Sept. 12 after police said he kicked in a home's front door as part of the same trend, NBC Palm Springs reported.

The damage totaled roughly $10,000. The door frame had to be rebuilt, and the door itself was replaced with a steel one. The teen was booked into a juvenile detention facility on criminal damage and unlawful use of transportation charges.

Sanchez said she has seen reports of homeowners in other states shooting at participants and urged parents to talk to their children about the danger.

WCSO is urging parents to discuss the risks with their kids. Residents who need to report door-kicking damage can call the sheriff's office non-emergency line at 503-629-0111.