YOUNGSTOWN — Boys 13 and 14 learned early Monday that the Hazeltine Avenue area on the East Side is no place to play a game involving ringing doorbells.

It led to Victor Estrada, 45, of Hazelton Avenue, being charged with felonious assault. He’s accused of chasing the boys and possibly assaulting them, and was taken to the Mahoning County jail.

Police were called to the first block of Montgomery Avenue at 3:42 a.m. for a large fight with gunfire. Officers spoke with a boy, 13, who said he and his friend, 14, from Austintown, were playing Ding, Dong, Ditch, which involves ringing a doorbell and then running away.

When they did it at a home in the first block of Hazeltine Avenue, men ran out of the house and chased them while firing guns at them and threatening to kill them, the boy told police.

Eventually the men caught up to the 14-year-old on Montgomery Street and held a pistol to his head and threatened to kill him if the 13-year-old did not reveal himself, so he did.

At that point, the men beat him with forearms, pistols and feet, the boy told the officers. The boy had severe cuts, bruises and swelling on his face around his eye. The other teen had left the area, so police did not see or talk to him, but the other teen said the 14-year-old also had been assaulted, according to police.

The 13-year-old identified Estrada as the primary assailant.

Estrada told police that when he heard noises, he thought he was being burglarized. He said he, his son and his son’s friend chased the boys but did not have guns and did not assault them.

Police searched the area but did not find evidence of gunfire.

Ambulance personnel suggested that the boy receive medical care for his injuries, but his mother declined.

erunyan@vindy.com