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A late night knock turned into a nightmare Virginia RESIDENTS — And now police are searching for a trio who wore Halloween masks and tried to break into a family’s home in what investigators say was no prank.
Disturbing doorbell camera footage shows three men come to the door of an Alexandria home around 10pm on Tuesday, their faces hidden behind Halloween masks, and they make threats and demand the residents come out.
A voice in the video can be heard saying, “Either you are coming out or we are coming in.” Another yells, “Open the door!”
a woman who told WUSA9 She went to meet her mother at the targeted home, saying at first she thought it was just a joke.
“At first I thought it was just a Halloween joke, a little prank,” Shayla said. “So I said, ‘Happy Halloween.'”
But the knocking increased rapidly.
“They kept knocking on the door,” she said. “The bumps will get even tougher.”
Shayla said the group threatened to kill her and tried to break into the house even after she called 911 and told her police were on their way.
“They threatened to kill us,” she said. “It’s not even a joke. They tried to break into the house. My heart dropped when they said they were going to take a chair and break down the door. It’s too much.”
According to Shayla, when the group could not get in from the front, they went to the back of the house, broke a part of the fence and smashed the window. This horrific incident lasted for about 10 minutes.
Alexandria Police Chief Tariq McGuire said the suspects’ actions were criminal and far from mischievous. In an update on Saturday, the chief had a message for the suspects.
“If you are engaging in this type of behavior, we are actively looking for you,” McGuire said. “If this was a youth, I would encourage parents to come forward. It’s better to come forward voluntarily than wait for us to make an arrest.”
Investigators believe the suspects fled in a vehicle after removing their masks. Police are reviewing additional video from nearby homes and businesses to identify them.
“This is a very serious matter,” McGuire said.
“They attempted to enter a residence, and under Virginia state law, that is burglary. This is a warning to people: do not walk up to people’s doors, do not make threats, do not push their doors, and do not play with their lives, because this could ultimately result in a dangerous incident.”
The chief also warned that pranks involving masks or costumes could turn violent.
“Historically, we’ve seen pranks across the country by people wearing masks, trying to mimic movie scenes or horror movies,” McGuire said.
“These are serious matters because they are frightening, but most importantly because they can result in serious injury.”
Police are asking anyone in the area of Duke and South Jordan streets to check their doorbell or security footage for suspicious activity Tuesday night between 9 and 10:30 p.m.
McGuire said the suspects could face charges including theft and criminal threatening.