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Video shows a group dressed in sinister-looking Halloween masks allegedly attempting to break into a Virginia woman’s home in a terrifying encounter that left the family shaken.
The three suspects appeared at the front door of an Alexandria home – located approximately 10 miles from Washington, D.C. – at around 10 p.m. Tuesday, WUSA9 reported.
Shayla Whiteside was visiting her mother, the homeowner, when the incident took place. Whiteside’s younger brother and their family dog were also inside the home when the group arrived, according to Fox 5.
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“At first I thought it was just a Halloween joke, a little prank,” Whiteside told the outlet. “So I said, ‘Happy Halloween.’”
However, Whiteside quickly realized the so-called “prank” was no laughing matter.
The suspects – one clad in a clown mask, a second wearing a costume resembling Michael Myers from the “Halloween” movie series and the third dressed as an evil nun – can be heard yelling, “It’s your worst nightmare,” while standing outside Whiteside’s mother’s home.
The group reportedly ignored Whiteside’s warnings that she was on the phone with 911 and authorities were en route to her mother’s home.
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“They kept, like, knocking on the door,” Whiteside said. “The knocks would get harder.”
The suspects can later be heard yelling at Whiteside through the front door of her mother’s home, in a terrifying exchange that left the two women shaken.
“It’s either you coming out or we’re coming in,” one suspect said, as another yelled, “Open the door!”
The group then allegedly attempted to enter the home, WUSA9 reported.
“It’s not even a joke gone wrong,” Whiteside said. “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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The incident reportedly lasted about 10 minutes and left the entire family terrified, according to Whiteside.
“My dad recently just died, so it’s just like I’m just glad I was there,” Whiteside told WUSA9. “But now she’s in fear. She don’t wanna stay there by herself.”
Authorities believe the three suspects removed their masks before fleeing the neighborhood in a vehicle, according to WUSA9. Police are now reportedly canvassing the area for additional surveillance video that may provide more details about the three individuals.
If identified, the suspects could face charges, such as burglary and making criminal threats, according to Alexandria Police Chief Tarrick McGuire.
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“This is a very serious matter,” McGuire said in a Thursday press conference, according to WUSA9. “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 also threatened to do bodily harm, stating that they would ultimately kill them.”
“They attempted to enter a residence, and under Virginia state law, that constitutes burglary,” he added. “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.”
The Alexandria Police Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
McGuire reportedly warned parents that these types of incidents are popular around Halloween and could quickly escalate, while reminding the community that homeowners have the legal right to defend themselves when threatened on their property.
“Know where your children are and what they’re doing,” McGuire said. “Talk to them about the decisions they are making. We don’t want to get police involved in something that did not derive from criminal intent, but this incident did.”
Fox News Digital’s Adriana James-Rodil contributed to this report.
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