Pranksters in scary Halloween masks "terrified" a family member in a hoax that needlessly cost more than 100 hours of police manpower — and could've had deadly consequences, authorities near Washington, D.C., said Monday.
A 911 caller on Oct. 14 reported that there were "masked individuals" making threats at her door on South Iris Street in Alexandria, Virginia, police said in a statement.
"They were absolutely terrified when this happened and occurred," Police Chief Tarrick McGuire told reporters Monday.
As video of the scary Halloween encounter — captured on the home's doorbell camera — went viral, “multiple community tips” helped investigators learn the three masked people were boys, ages 14 to 16, who were two sons and a nephew of the prank's perpetrator, a cousin of the victim, officials said.
Before the woman in the house dialed 911, she first called her brother, who went to the scene armed, police said.
"Her brother responded with a firearm," McGuire said. "So absolutely it could have resulted in deadly" consequences.
In addition to the three boys in masks, "two additional adults" were nearby "in the street filming the incident," according to police.
The victim asked prosecutors not to pursue charges against her own relatives for pulling the prank, officials said.
The police department's Criminal Investigations "dedicated more than 100 hours to identifying those involved," it said in the statement.
McGuire blasted all the adults who were in on the hoax. There was no evidence the victim knew she was being pranked.
"For this community, it represents a moral failure, a moral failure where consequences could have resulted in deadly consequences," he said.
