ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Three people wearing Halloween masks threatened a family and attempted to break into their Alexandria home Tuesday night, according to doorbell camera footage.
The incident happened around 9:50 p.m. at a home in the 100 block of South Iris Street. That is where the masked individuals were captured on Ring doorbell footage banging on the door and shouting threats at the residents.
When the intruders couldn't enter through the front door, they moved to the back of the house, where they broke down a fence and damaged a screened porch.
The homeowner's daughter was present during the 10-minute ordeal and called 911. The incident has left her mother deeply concerned about her safety.
"At first I thought it was just a Halloween joke, a little prank, so I said, 'Happy Halloween,'" Shayla, who was visiting the home her mother owns and lives in, told WUSA.
Shayla said the trio kept knocking and pounding "harder and harder" on the door.
"It's either you coming out or we coming in," one person can be heard saying on the video. Another shouted, "Open the door!"
Shayla said they tried to enter the home.
"It's not even a joke gone wrong... My heart dropped when they said they were gonna take a chair and break down the door," Shayla said.
Alexandria Police Chief Tarrick McGuire issued a warning about the dangers of such threatening behavior.
"People that are in their residences according to our laws and laws across our nation can defend themselves. So it's a warning to people — do not go up to people's doors, make threats, advance their doorways and play with their lives, because it ultimately can end up in a dangerous event," McGuire said.
The family expressed relief that the situation didn't escalate further.
"My dad recently just died, so... I'm just glad I was there," Shayla said. "Now she's in fear, she doesn't want to stay there by herself."
Police said Saturday that officers were "actively pursuing multiple leads" from community tips as the search for the suspects continues.
"It’s important for residents to know that a police response is best to assess incidents of suspicious nature, to take necessary steps so that everyone is safe," officials said.
Detectives asked neighbors to check their surveillance cameras for anything unusual on Tuesday night between 9:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Click here to share that footage with police. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Detective B. Gibson at 703-746-1946.
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