An 11-year-old boy was shot dead after playing a prank on his neighbour by ringing the doorbell and running away.

Leo Gonzalo Jr, 42, was charged with murder after he allegedly shot the boy dead in Houston, Texas, on Saturday night, court records show.

The boy, who has not been identified, and his friends were playing a prank on neighbours when someone came out of a house and opened fire.

As the children fled, the boy was struck in the back. He was rushed to a nearby hospital with multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead on Sunday afternoon.