A chilling video has emerged showing a group of individuals in menacing Halloween masks allegedly trying to force their way into a Virginia woman’s residence, leaving the family deeply unsettled by the ordeal.
The incident unfolded around 10 p.m. on a Tuesday at a home in Alexandria, about 10 miles from Washington, D.C. The local news outlet WUSA9 provided coverage of the unnerving event.
Shayla Whiteside, who was visiting her mother—the homeowner—at the time, recounted the harrowing experience. Present in the house were Whiteside’s younger brother and the family dog when the masked group made their unexpected appearance, as reported by Fox 5.
One of the suspects, captured on video, approached the house wearing an eerie clown mask on the night of October 14, 2025. The unsettling footage was shared by Shayla Whiteside through Storyful.
Initially, Whiteside mistook the encounter for a harmless Halloween prank. “At first, I thought it was just a Halloween joke, a little prank,” she told reporters. “So I said, ‘Happy Halloween.'” However, it quickly became apparent that the situation was far from a playful jest.
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.
Authorities are searching for three suspects wanted in connection with an attempted home invasion in Alexandria, Virginia on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025. (Shayla Whiteside via Storyful)
“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.”
The three suspects can be seen opening the front porch door of a home in Alexandria, Virginia on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025. (Shayla Whiteside via Storyful)
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.
“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.”
