Alexandria, Virginia — Scared residents are on edge after a downright chilling incident that sounds like something out of a horror movie. A family living just south of Washington, D.C., found themselves the target of a late-night scare when three masked men in unsettling costumes showed up at their front door. And no, this wasn’t some elaborate Halloween prank gone wrong. It was real, it was terrifying, and it was all caught on camera.
The Ring footage from that Virginia home shows the trio standing outside for nearly six agonizing minutes, each wearing an eerie mask straight out of a nightmare. At first, it looked like some twisted prank until they tried to force their way inside. According to reports, the men repeatedly grabbed the doorknob, jiggling it as if to break in. At one point, they even managed to damage the backyard door, making it crystal clear that this wasn’t a joke.
The homeowner, Shayla, told ABC 7News that when the group first appeared, she honestly thought it might be a Halloween stunt. “As an educator, I did think it was a prank. I said ‘Happy Halloween’ when they first came,” she explained. But her good-natured reaction quickly turned into horror when the masked men refused to leave. “I asked them to then get off the property, and when they didn’t, I realized it wasn’t a joke anymore,” Shayla said.
Virginia Family Terrorized By Scary Masked Men
In the footage, one of the masked figures can be heard saying, “Your worst nightmare,” in response to someone inside the home. That alone is enough to give anyone goosebumps. They laughed among themselves, taunting the family, and demanded, “Open the door,” while one man began banging furiously on the front entrance.
The other two soon joined in, slamming on the door as though they intended to break it down. When the family tried to protect themselves by shouting for them to leave, the men reportedly turned their attention to the backyard door until a man inside yelled, “Get the [expletive] out of my backyard.” Thankfully, that seemed to be enough to scare them off.
After the masked men finally disappeared, the shaken family stepped outside to investigate. They were seen making phone calls and checking the yard, still visibly in shock. Shayla later told reporters that the entire ordeal left her and her family deeply unsettled. “I’m not taking it lightly, and I just feel as if my mom is really fearful now because we don’t know who they are,” she said.
‘Your Worst Nightmare’
Of course, social media had a ton to say about the incident. “This is The Strangers,” one person tweeted, referencing the horror movie. “Starting The Purge early,” another stated. “Feels like a joke gone bad,” a third person interjected. “It’s all fun and games until someone gets shot,” a fourth comment read.
Police in Alexandria, Virginia, are investigating the terrifying encounter, but so far, the identities of the three masked men remain unknown. Whether it was a sick prank, an attempted burglary, or something more sinister, one thing is certain this family won’t be forgetting that night anytime soon. And honestly, after seeing that Ring footage, who could blame them?
Hunter Spears 
Nina Franklin 
Kendra Quinn 
