He repeatedly slashed at the air outside homes in the quiet residential street, sending the neighbourhood into panic while the terrified homeowners’ remained trapped
The footage was captured on the family’s Ring Doorbell
A knife-wielding man has been caught on camera outside a family’s home, who watched on as he stood on their stoop, slashing at the air repeatedly with a massive blade.
California woman Rebecca Breen and her husband were watching TV at their home in Arden, Sacramento, at around 8.30pm on Thursday when the alarm for their doorbell camera suddenly began going off, pinging them with alerts.
They were left stunned by what they saw.
She told KCRA: “We heard a loud knock and we looked in the ring camera and we noticed that there was something very strange going on.
She then revealed that a man – a total stranger – could be seen at their front door holding a knife and appearing to repeatedly stab towards the front door.
“It was terrifying. It was absolutely terrifying,” she admitted.
Fearing the worst, she called emergency services as panic spread through the neighbourhood, with multiple residents reporting sightings of the armed man.
According to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were on the scene within minutes — but the suspect had already fled. A police helicopter was then dispatched, with pilots and police racing to find the man.
He managed to evade officers. He was later found and arrested on Saturday morning and has since been released after being charged with criminal trespassing.
Officials said the man had been “thrashing on doors with knives”, but confirmed that no one was injured during the frightening incident.
Residents were praised for locking their doors, staying inside and calling police. Breen said she does not believe her home was specifically targeted, but admitted the randomness of the attack has left her shaken.
“I do believe that we were a random target. I don’t think that we were specifically targeted, but I think it’s very scary because if it wasn’t us, it’s going to be someone else,” she said.
The chilling late-night ordeal has left the entire neighbourhood quaking in fear after police eventually found the man and arrested him… and then just set him loose on the public once more.
Neighbours have since voiced frustration, claiming private security failed to respond and that communication from authorities in the aftermath was slow — adding to the fear sparked by the horrific ordeal.
