Three masked men threaten to break into Alexandria home, police say

Three men wearing Halloween masks arrived at a home on South Iris Street in Alexandria around 9:30 to 10 p.m. on Tuesday, threatened to kill the occupants and tried to force their way inside, authorities and the homeowner’s family said. The encounter, captured on a doorbell camera, left the family shaken and prompted an active police search for the suspects.

Doorbell footage shows three figures, one in a clown mask, another in a costume resembling the Michael Myers character from the Halloween films and a third dressed as a nun, standing at the front door and shouting for the occupants to come out. One voice on the video is heard saying, "If you do not come out, we will come in," and other recordings include menacing gestures toward the house. Shayla Whiteside, who was visiting her widowed mother with her younger brother and the family dog at the time, told police she initially thought the visit was a prank and said "Happy Halloween" through the doorbell speaker. The group continued pounding, grew louder and at times attempted to open the front door.

Whiteside said she called 911 during the encounter. The suspects then moved to the back of the house, broke through a wooden...