**Masked Intruders Wearing Halloween-Style Masks Attempt Home Break-In in Alexandria, Virginia**
*Published: October 20, 2025, 4:15 p.m. ET*
Police in Alexandria, Virginia, are actively searching for three masked individuals who tried to break into a home with a terrified family inside. The unsettling incident, which took place in a neighborhood roughly eight miles outside of Washington, D.C., was caught on a doorbell camera.
According to officers speaking with RadarOnline.com, the three suspects wore “Halloween-style masks” and knocked on the front door of the residence. Inside the home, a woman named Shayla was visiting her mother. Initially, she thought the masked visitors were part of a harmless prank.
“One was dressed as horror villain Michael Myers from the *Halloween* movie franchise, another as a clown, and a third as an evil nun,” Shayla explained. “At first, I thought it was just a Halloween joke, a little prank, so I said, ‘Happy Halloween.’”
However, Shayla’s amusement quickly turned to fear as she realized the intruders were serious. “They kept, like, knocking on the door. The knocks would get harder and harder,” she recounted.
During the tense encounter, voices could be heard threatening the family. One said, “It’s either you coming out or we coming in,” while another demanded, “Open the door!”
When the residents inside refused to open the door, the suspects escalated their attempt by breaking through a back fence and tearing open the porch screen. Despite the roughly 10-minute standoff, the intruders eventually fled in a vehicle without taking anything.
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### Police Investigation and Response
Alexandria Police Department spokesperson Rebekka Heite told RadarOnline.com that investigators are reviewing the doorbell video and searching for additional clues. While authorities have not ruled out the possibility of a prank, Heite emphasized that due to the damage caused, this incident will not be treated lightly.
“We haven’t ruled out a prank yet,” Heite said, “however, because of the level of damage they caused, it will not be charged as a prank.”
Heite also noted that the suspects never indicated during the encounter that this was a joke. “I don’t know about you, but when my friends do a prank on me, they normally take the mask off and say, ‘Haha, we got you,’” she explained. “These people ran away scared and have not come forward to admit that they were just doing a prank.”
Shayla agreed with the police assessment: “It’s not even a joke gone wrong. They tried to enter into the home. My heart dropped when they said they were gonna take a chair and break down the door.”
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### A Serious Warning from Police Chief Tarrik McGuire
Alexandria Police Chief Tarrik McGuire addressed reporters, stressing the seriousness of the situation. He shared that the suspects made “threatening and alarming comments” to the family, including stating, “If you do not come out, we will come in,” and threatened to cause bodily harm and even kill them.
Chief McGuire underscored that the attempt to enter the residence qualifies as burglary under Virginia state law.
He also pointed out that if the homeowners had been armed, the outcome could have been much more dangerous. Emphasizing residents’ rights, he reminded the public that individuals have the legal right to defend themselves inside their homes.
“This is 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,” the chief said.
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Police continue their search for the three masked suspects. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Alexandria Police Department.
https://radaronline.com/p/halloween-mask-wearing-trio-virginia-family-home-invasion-video/
