(NewsNation) — The spirit of Halloween calls for fun, games and scary costumes, but one family in Virginia might have been trying to get in too much on the act.
Police say a masked trio who terrorized a home earlier this month were taking part in a family prank. A woman has now told the authorities that she, her two sons and a nephew staged the incident.
Two adults and a child were also reportedly filming the prank.
“Here you are with a parent that is encouraging their children to act in this behavior,” Alexandria Police Chief Tarrick McGuire told “Banfield.” “Whether it was a prank or not being a prank, something that has been highlighted time and time again, that this really could have resulted in a serious injury.”
Surveillance video showed the trio fully covered in Halloween masks, making threats against the family and causing property damage to their home. Authorities initially treated the case as an attempted burglary after the suspects banged on the front door and entered the fenced backyard.
One family member even came out with a gun to confront the trio.
“If those persons are still there on that scene, it could have been absolutely something horrific that turned into a prank, ultimately coming to where someone was seriously injured or hurt,” added McGuire.
McGuire acknowledged that the investigation spanned 100 hours of work from his department. However, no one was charged in the prank because the family didn’t want to pursue charges.
“The victim really is related to the suspects in this case,” he stated. “And unbeknownst to the victim, they had no idea who these persons were.”
“I think a human perspective leans in from the victim’s perspective, not wanting to press charges or proceed forward with charges against our family member.”
McGuire noted that in Virginia, if a victim does not desire to prosecute, the state’s attorney general could move forward with charges in said specific case.