Delaware police arrest two teens for late-night rifle prank

New Castle County police arrested two teenagers after they approached homes in the Mallard Pointe neighborhood wearing tactical gear and carrying what appeared to be rifles, a prank that alarmed residents late Friday night. The 16- and 17-year-old boys were identified Sunday after investigators received information that led to their apprehension, according to Sgt. Andrea Botterbusch, a spokesperson for the New Castle County Police Department.

The investigation began shortly before 11 p.m. Friday when residents reported seeing masked individuals approaching houses. Surveillance footage released by police shows one person wearing a black hockey-style mask and tactical vest while holding an object resembling a rifle outside a front door. Another image captures a second masked individual in a black vest approaching a residence. Officers responded to the 1200 block of Canvasback Drive around 10:50 p.m. after receiving reports of a suspicious person. Residents told investigators that the masked individuals knocked on doors before running away.

Police searched the neighborhood and surrounding properties with the help of a K-9 unit but did not locate the group during the initial sweep. Officers later observed four individuals heading east on Mallard Road, including two on bicycles and two on foot. While investigators initially believed the apparent weapons might have been airsoft guns, the department has not confirmed whether the specific weapon seen in the surveillance images was among those recovered.

As part of the probe, officers executed a search warrant at one of the teens' homes, recovering a gel bead gun, a tactical vest, and a hockey-style mask. Police determined the late-night knocking was intended as a prank and found that no threats of violence were made during the encounters. Both juveniles face two misdemeanor counts of harassment, one misdemeanor count of criminal mischief, and two criminal trespassing violations.

Arraignment information for both boys was pending as of Monday. The incident occurs nearly two months after Zymire Hughes, 22, was arrested in Las Vegas by the U.S. Marshals Service's Philadelphia office for terrorizing pedestrians in Philadelphia while wearing a "Chucky"-style mask.