A masked trio terrorizes a Virginia family in Ring doorbell camera footage.

An Alexandria, Virginia, family is terrified after their Ring doorbell camera recorded three masked intruders threatening to break into their home. As police investigate this bizarre true crime story, authorities are treating the incident as a serious criminal matter, not harmless mischief or a misguided Halloween prank.

The alarming incident

The incident happened around 10 p.m. on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at an Alexandria residence where a family, including a widow, lived. According to the homeowner’s daughter, identified only as “Shayla,” she initially believed the masked figures were dressed up for Halloween. “At first I thought it was just a Halloween joke, a little prank,” she told WUSA9. “So I said, ‘Happy Halloween.’” One mask resembled Michael Myers, from the Halloween horror film franchise; another person was dressed as a clown, and a third looked like a sinister-looking nun.

But as the footage shows, the situation quickly escalated. The masked men refused to leave, even though Shayla threatened to call the police. They continued knocking and began making demands at the door. One can be heard shouting: “It’s either you coming out or we coming in. Open the door!”

After they were barred from the front entrance, the trio moved to the rear of the home, damaging fencing and slashing screen doors in attempts to force entry.

Shayla described the moment when things turned especially alarming: “My heart dropped when they said they were gonna take a chair and break down the door,” she said.

Inside the home were Shayla’s mother, her younger brother, and the family dog. The ordeal lasted about ten minutes before the intruders left. The family is shaken and fearful for their safety, particularly because the homeowner’s husband had recently passed away, leaving the household in a vulnerable position.

Police are treating it as a criminal incident

While the timing and masks suggest a “prank,” law enforcement is not treating it lightly. From the start, the Alexandria Police Department treated the incident as a serious crime rather than a Halloween gag. “They began to make threatening and alarming comments to the family … specifically, they said, ‘If you do not come out, we will come in,’ and threatened to kill them,” Alexandria Police Chief Tarrik McGuire said, according to ALXnow.

Investigators are now canvassing the surrounding area, reviewing surveillance footage from neighboring homes and businesses, and tracing possible escape routes. Police are also urging anyone with tips, dashcam footage, or knowledge of suspicious activity in the area to come forward. “If you are out there and you are the one that engaged in this type of behavior, we’re actively searching for you, we’re going to ultimately find you,” Chief McGuire said.