Family terrorized by 3 people in Halloween masks at their home, Virginia cops say

UPDATE: Authorities in Alexandria, Virginia, confirmed the three individuals seen in Halloween masks outside the family’s home on Oct. 14 are relatives of the family, WRC-TV and other media outlets reported. They confessed to the incident being a prank, Alexandria Police Chief Tarrick McGuire said, according to WRC-TV.

A woman came forward to police, saying her two teenage sons, her teenage nephew, two other adults and a child were involved, according to McGuire, the TV station reported. McGuire said the incident could have been “deadly,” as the brother of one of the victims later showed up to the home with a gun.

Charges will not be pursued over the prank, McGuire said, WPMI reported.

The original story is below.

Three people in Halloween masks showed up at a Virginia family’s home at night and terrorized them, making demands and threats, authorities said.

Investigators are working to identify the trio who were seen on Ring doorbell footage in Alexandria the evening of Oct. 14, according to an Oct. 17 news release from the Alexandria Police Department.

The individuals knocked on the family’s front door, then broke into their fenced-in backyard, police said. They are accused of damaging a fence and outdoor storage unit.

One person appears to be wearing a Michael Myers mask while another is seen wearing a clown mask, photos shared by police show.

“It’s either you coming out or we coming in,” one person from the group is heard saying in the doorbell footage, according to WUSA.

“Open the door,” another person is heard yelling, footage obtained by the outlet shows.

Officers arrived at the home around 9:50 p.m. that evening, police said.

“I want to be very clear — this is a very serious matter,” Alexandria Police Chief Tarrick McGuire said in a statement. “The individuals responsible for terrorizing this family will be held accountable.”

Authorities are pursuing credible leads as they search for the group, according to police.

The Alexandria Police Department advises the public to stay safe, including by remaining aware while arriving home and keeping doors locked.

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call 703-746-1946.

This story was originally published October 19, 2025 at 12:26 PM.

Julia Marnin

McClatchy DC

Julia Marnin covers courts for McClatchy News, writing about criminal and civil affairs, including cases involving policing, corrections, civil liberties, fraud, and abuses of power. As a reporter on McClatchy’s National Real-Time Team, she’s also covered the COVID-19 pandemic and a variety of other topics since joining in 2021, following a fellowship with Newsweek. Born in Biloxi, Mississippi, she was raised in South Jersey and is now based in New York State.