Pranks Prompt Investigations in Alexandria and Manitoba

Manitoba’s Independent Investigation Unit has opened a probe after an off-duty RCMP officer in Brandon allegedly chased a group of youths playing “ding‑dong‑ditch” on Oct. 19 and returned a female youth to her home in handcuffs; the incident was reported Oct. 21 and the officer’s on‑duty status is being assessed. In Alexandria, Va., doorbell camera video of an Oct. 14 incident showing three people in Halloween masks pounding on a door and threatening to break in went viral and prompted a 911 call and a significant police response. Investigators determined the masked trio were juveniles about 14–16 and related to the residents — identified as a cousin, her two sons and a nephew — and said a woman admitted staging the prank while two adults and a child recorded. Detectives logged more than 100 investigative hours, the victims declined to press charges and the commonwealth’s attorney opted not to prosecute, so the juveniles will not be publicly identified; police said the victim’s armed brother’s arrival highlighted the risk of a deadly outcome, and Alexandria Police Chief Tarrick McGuire called the stunt a “serious moral failure.”