A “terrifying” Halloween prank could have ended with a Virginia woman’s teenage relatives being gunned down on her front porch, police warned.
Earlier this month, frightening video images of people dressed in Halloween masks peering into a front-door camera and making threats caused a stir on social media and in news headlines.
Police in Alexandria, Virginia, spent over 100 hours investigating the incident, only to discover that it was a prank.
“They were absolutely terrified when this happened and occurred,” Alexandria Police Chief Tarrick McGuire told reporters.
After the images of the incident went viral, “multiple community tips” helped lead investigators to a group of teenage boys who were the sons and a nephew of the victim’s cousin, who allegedly planned the prank, NBC News reports.
McGuire said police eventually made contact with the mother of one of the masked boys and questioned her about the prank, after which she gave a “full confession.”
Before calling 911, the woman inside the house called her brother, who rushed to the scene with a gun.
“Her brother responded with a firearm,” McGuire said. “So absolutely it could have resulted in deadly consequences.”
McGuire said that in addition to the three boys in masks, there were also two other adults standing at a distance and filming the prank, according to police.
“At the end of the day, parents should be responsible for their children,” McGuire said, according to Inside NOVA. “What’s very disheartening about this situation is that you had adults that were engaging in this behavior, but also encouraging this behavior.”
The victim has asked prosecutors not to pursue charges against the pranksters, officials said. McGuire confirmed that the police would not pursue charges, which could have included burglary.
While the victim had to shoulder the bulk of the terror brought on by the incident, the residents of Alexandria had to foot the bill while they waited to learn if a group of masked weirdoes was on the loose. Police “dedicated more than 100 hours to identifying those involved,” the department said.
“While this incident may not result in a criminal prosecution, for me, my team and for this community, it represents a moral failure,” McGuire said. “We have seen this type of behavior around the country, where people have done pranks, and they have resulted in people being seriously injured or losing their lives.”
