Masked Intruders Rattle Virginia Family in Terrifying Late-Night Encounter

A harrowing late-night incident in Alexandria was caught on doorbell camera footage when three individuals wearing Halloween masks pounded on a home and threatened the residents. The unsettling occurrence took place around 10 p.m. Tuesday in the vicinity of Duke and South Jordan Streets. The family asked that their precise address not be disclosed.

Doorbell Camera Captures Violent Threats

Shayla, whose mother lives in the targeted home, initially believed the disturbance was a prank. “At first I thought it was just a Halloween joke, a little prank,” she said. She even greeted them with “Happy Halloween.” But the knocking quickly escalated. “They kept knocking on the door. The knocks would get harder and harder,” Shayla recalled.

Threats Escalate Despite Police Warning

Though Shayla called 911 and warned the group that police were on the way, the masked intruders persisted. One voice can be heard in the footage demanding, “It’s either you coming out or we coming in,” while another shouted, “Open the door!” Shayla said the group threatened to kill the family: “They threatened to kill us.”

When they failed to breach the front entry, they moved to the back. Shayla showed where they damaged the fence and climbed into the screened porch. “They were just hitting the window,” she said. “My heart dropped when they said that they were gonna take a chair and break down the door. That is just too much.” “It’s not even a joke gone wrong,” she added. “They tried to enter into the home.”

Family Left Fearful After Long Ordeal

Though the entire episode lasted about ten minutes, its emotional impact has lingered, especially on Shayla’s mother. “My dad recently just died, so it’s just like I’m just glad I was there,” Shayla said. “Now she’s in fear. She doesn’t wanna stay there by herself.” She expressed relief that the situation didn’t escalate further: “It could have been bad. Our Second Amendment right was not used and could have been, like being very transparent.”

Addressing the perpetrators, Shayla had a stern warning: “The time frame alone, 10 o’clock at night to knock on someone’s door in costume is never OK. Halloween, not Halloween, it’s never OK.” Alexandria Police were at the scene on Wednesday, gathering evidence. Authorities urge anyone with information about the trio or relevant video footage to contact them.

This story reminds me of the movie The Strangers.