Doorbell camera captures unusual late-night visit at North Texas home

Police say no crime was committed, but the encounter left a family shaken.

A Watauga family says they were left uneasy after a masked stranger approached their home, performed what appeared to be a prank on their doorstep and rang their doorbell while only teenagers were inside.

Home security video from a home on Pebblebrook Drive showed a person wearing what appeared to be a mask of former President Joe Biden walking up to the house Sunday night.

The video showed the individual opening a jacket to reveal what appeared to be a "Freedom" T-shirt popularized by late political influencer Charlie Kirk. The person then peeled a banana, looked directly into the home's doorbell camera and rang the doorbell before walking away.

Julian Mancia, who lives at the home, said the encounter immediately raised concerns inside the house.

"My oldest sister's boyfriend came into the room, shushing me..." Mancia said. "Then he told me that there was a man with a mask outside ringing the doorbell."

"I told my friends, 'You know, guys, I think something might be happening,'" Manica continued.

Mancia said only teenagers were home when the visitor arrived.

Family friend Damian Torres said the stranger appeared to leave after the brief encounter.

"Just did his little act and walked away like nothing happened," Torres said.

The family called police and waited together to see whether the person would attempt to enter the house.

Watauga police responded but were unable to locate the individual. The department later said no crime had been committed.

In a statement, the police chief said:

"Although the individual's choice of attire and snack may have raised a few eyebrows, neither appears to have violated the law at this time."

The chief added that officers take reports of suspicious activity seriously and encouraged residents to remain vigilant.

"Continue reporting suspicious activity even when the circumstances are a little bananas."

While many people online speculated the encounter may have been a harmless prank, Mancia said it did not feel that way to the family.

"It's very demeaning," Mancia said.

"It's different when you purposefully disguise yourself and, um, frighten the people that aren't really doing anything," Mancia said.

Torres said the situation could have ended differently at another home.

"He's just lucky that it was this house because, you know, a lot of other houses, they probably would have just shot like right through the door and like, you know, not ask questions even if it was just a prank," Torres said.

This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC DFW. AI tools helped convert the story into a digital article, and an NBC DFW journalist edited it again before publication.