Creepy Clowns sightings have occurred across the country, with some clowns attacking unsuspecting people. @PodSkwod
A phenomenon of clown terrorism has recently spread throughout the country. The ground zero for these clowns is Greensville County, South Carolina. According to The New York Times, an alleged group of clowns attempted to lure children into the woods with money. Despite the police’s inability to confirm this claim, the event has inspired copycat offenders across several states.
Oct. 26, 2016, Heavy News reported that these clowns have been spotted in 44 of 50 states: Florida being one of them. And Florida sightings have extended across the state to even Pasco County. These incidents range from misunderstandings to dangerous threats.
WFLA interviewed deputies from the Pasco County Sherriff’s Office who were called to Holiday, Florida on Oct. 3, 2016, to investigate a suspicious person. The deputies said that this person happened to be an innocent 14-year-old boy who was wearing the clown mask his mother bought him for Halloween.
This is misunderstanding is on the lower end of the spectrum of clown related incidents, whereas there have been major threats involving clowns. In fact, just a week earlier schools were threatened online by the “Aint Clownin Around” Facebook and Twitter pages, reports WFLA. There have been numerous threats of physical harm directed towards students and faculty.
One of the pages posted recently: “We will be at all High schools this Friday to either kidnap students or kill teachers going to [their]cars.”
According to WFLA, Pasco County warned parents by issuing a “campus alert” describing the clowns’ threats and the schools’ plans to continue classes as usual. However, in Orange County, Florida, Hudson Valley News 12 reports that Golden Hill Elementary School locked down in response to a nearby clown sighting.
These recent events have sparked worry in students on Saint Leo University campus. These worries have been further fueled by the alleged sighting of a clown wandering near the Benoit Residence Hall. When called to the scene after students reported a clown being near the hall, Campus Security stated to find no such clown.
Bill Elders, Campus Safety and Dispatch Officer said, “It’s never been an issue so far. Saint Leo University has been really fortunate that way.” He maintains that there’s not much to say about the clowns, as there is no proof of one ever stepping foot on campus.
Many residents disagree and are spreading rumors throughout campus. These rumors include stories such as the arrest of the clown impersonator.
There are also many opinions as to what should happen to a student if he or she were posing as a clown.
Adam Alexander, a junior Multimedia Management major, believes that, “It’s different [if you’re dressed up as a clown unarmed]. You’re trying to illicit fear regardless… but it’s a different story if you’re just walking around in a clown costume.”
No matter what an individual’s opinion regarding the consequences of clown terrorism, “Florida law states anyone ‘wearing the mask, hood, or other device … with the intent to intimidate,
threaten, abuse, or harass any other person’ will be charged with a misdemeanor,” according to the Tampa Bay Times.
However, Telegraph News reports that the number of clown sightings and attacks have drastically fallen since the beginning of October and this can be attributed to stores nationwide refusing to sell clown costumes and the police issuing a zero-tolerance policy. No known incidents were reported in Pasco County this Halloween. Although the danger may seem to have passed, students and faculty should remain cautious.
